


The Empress's Third

by tzigane, Zaganthi (Caffiends)



Series: 13x5 Multiverse [2]
Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Character Death Fix, Coercion, Dom/sub, F/M, Happy Ending, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Meiran lives AU, Multi, Multiverse, Pegging, Porn with Feelings, Post-Canon, Prisoner of War, The Author Regrets Nothing, Threesome - F/M/M, Treize the housepet sort of, Wufei the consort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:15:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 71,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26708089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tzigane/pseuds/tzigane, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caffiends/pseuds/Zaganthi
Summary: Out of a war, she had secured the safety of her husband, obtained a third, and had a daughter. They had managed to fix their colony, and they now had viable economic gains that were steady and sufficient to support their people because she had felt greedy, angry, horny, and petty, yes. Because her husband had been fascinated by the man who was now showing Mei-Xing the parts of a rose bloom, and stumbling for a moment as Wufei gave him the right words in Mandarin.
Relationships: Chang Wufei/Long Meilan, Chang Wufei/Long Meilan/Treize Khushrenada, Chang Wufei/Treize Khushrenada, Long Meilan/Treize Khushrenada
Series: 13x5 Multiverse [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1944529
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A flipped version of [In the Bleak Midwinter](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26219125) because we wanted to write the same trope twice with a different twist.

Liung Meiran knew certain things in life.

She knew who she was.

And she knew who her husband was.

And she had known that they were going to win this.

Chang Wufei had never believed in ultimate justice, not really; his idea of it was more situational, more personal. It always had been, and Meiran had always wondered how it would play out in the end. What he would decide, if anything had changed, so many things. She hadn't known how that would work out at all, but she'd had a few ideas, and there were much worse things, on the whole, than winning and not even having to kill the leader of the other side. Once upon a time, Wufei would have scoffed at it, would have said it was the only right and just path.

This wasn't a fairytale, though. This was something else entirely.

This was the end of a battle, this was negotiations held neutrally in the moon base, small delegations from each colony and Earth while everyone tried to dance through their decisions. It had taken everyone ages to believe it wasn't a trap.

Meiran had been fairly certain it wasn't; she had a unique perspective on quite a few things. After all, there was very little Wufei didn't share with her.

They'd gotten good at that when they'd both been of an age to dawdle in sandboxes. She already knew what she was going to demand. It was just a matter of making sure she got it.

Everything was being done in the open at a wide round table, and the head of Romefeller looked older than his years, strained around his eyes as he reviewed the notes of order. "L5 has formally claimed rights to the hostage they're holding. Do any of the other colonies wish to challenge?"

Meiran could see Dekim Barton open his mouth and just as quickly close it. She wondered who had kicked him in the ankle.

"L1 has no objections." The light gleamed off of Brad Crawford's glasses, and she glanced behind him to Heero Yuy. He didn't seem that interested in what might or might not happen to Khushrenada.

"Hey, Duo. You got any objections?" The L2 representative was new, but they'd had some sort of bizarre religious war going on there with a cult that worshipped werewolves or something, so that probably shouldn't be any surprise to anyone.

"Nah. If anybody can handle 'im, Wufei's probably the guy."

"L4 wonders at the potential political implications of L5 holding onto her hostage of such great worth," Irina said carefully.

Meiran leaned back, head tilted to the right. "L5 is the only colony that has been verifiably attacked by biological weapons." L2 probably had but they were all descendants of chaos and always would be. She suspected nothing would ever be verified in reference to L2. "If we have this hostage, then I believe that Earth and its leaders will think a great deal more seriously about doing it again."

"The Romefeller stipulation is that he be treated appropriately for political prisoner." Their leader was a few years older than she and her husband, tall with a sharp face; and he looked like so many of the other representatives, the people who had tried to make her people bend the knee to them and their culture. He also looked tired and aggrieved. "Knowing that grants you a great deal of latitude, of course. Term, uh..."

"Oh, we'll be keeping him," Meiran assured Vingt Catalonia. She knew exactly why he wasn't using his actual last name and why he was trying to introduce a time limit. "Until the day he dies, and I can assure you that he will be well kept."

The man didn't bother hiding his grimace; if the other colonies didn't know, more fool them. "Long may the General live, then, despite it. This includes post through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent, though you may censor outgoing mail as you feel necessary, and regular proof of life. In the event of his untimely demise, you can expect a neutral delegation from ESUN to be sent to investigate." He was reading through his notes by rote, using them as a crutch when he had otherwise spoken so eloquently. He had even greeted them in pitch perfect Mandarin at the outset.

She knew exactly what she had. 

"Of course."

And it was as easy as that. Playing with others was so boring sometimes. She'd missed her husband while he'd been away fighting; they'd lost a number of people they loved in those last battles, and she'd been injured so badly in the original biological attack that she still suffered from the incident. Still, this wasn't about revenge. Oh, no, it was about reassuring that their people had a place at the table, that they would not be ignored. It was about meeting the man who had defeated her husband in bladed combat and spared his life unnecessarily.

"The next time we're involved in a diplomatic exchange, I would like to talk to the general myself. I did not have time to extend our thanks to him for his work against White Fang. Next order of business..." And he moved briskly on.

The L1 representative glanced at her again, and there was that funny gleam across the lens of his glasses, and she knew that he knew precisely what was on her mind. The curl of his smile said it without words, and so Meiran lowered her gaze demurely and allowed the tiniest of smiles to creep over her face.

She did indeed have plans.

They'd just have to see how it all worked out in the end.

* * *

They had allowed him to keep his boots.

It was a small allowance after he had been forcibly stripped of his uniform in a manner that had emphasized that he was no longer a General, and commanded exactly nothing; and they had returned his boots when they had brought him clothes and sleepwear two hours later.

It was damn odd, all in all.

Still. At this point, he had very little to do other than sit and wait. Treize wasn't precisely sure what was going on, but he was absolutely certain that Vingt wouldn't allow anything terrible to happen to him. At least, if it weren't utterly politically expedient.

And it could have been politically expedient. He'd planned to die glorious in battle, not end up inglorious in capture and cause extra trouble for Vingt, for the future. He hadn't expected Wufei, who'd challenged him to a second duel in space, the one he'd anticipated, to disable his mobile suit and _capture_ him, having nearly nicked the power core in the process, and caused a couple of damaging hydraulic blowouts. As if it had been planned, though they couldn't have known in advance what model of mobile suit he was going up in, or that he would even fight from the front lines.

But it had been clearly.... planned. Precisely what the plan was, he didn't know. Couldn't know, couldn't even guess at the moment. Perhaps if he had more intel. The door opened, and it was not a surprise when Pilot 05 entered. "Khushrenada."

He sat up slowly on the bed he'd been given, and smiled a little to see the most unexpected, unpredictable fighter he had ever taken on. "I had hoped you were going to duel me fairly. This situation has been a surprise."

Dark grey eyes narrowed, Wufei's head tilting. "I think you were expecting something quite different than fairness. Luckily for you, or unluckily, as you like, I was a bit too fast for it to end the way you expected."

That caught him off guard; he hadn't telegraphed any moves in that last attack, and he hadn't said a word to anyone; anyone he might have talked to about it would have stopped him. Or tried to, Vingt included. "I had no plans to use any underhanded tactics on you."

Dark brows rose sharply. "You aren't the only one who's used the ZERO system. Modified or not. There were... a lot of possibilities. It was quite clear in some cases, less so in some. Makes it easier to argue multiverse theories, I should think."

"Which is how I ended up here." Presumably on L5, as he had no memory of entering Earth 's atmosphere. Everything had been hazy from the jarring and the carefully reduced oxygen levels as he'd tried to maintain cockpit integrity as that was what he'd been reduced to.

One shoulder shrugged. "That will happen when you've been declared a political prisoner. Your brother, by the way, sends his regards and will expect letters to be posted to him as well as regular proof of life."

"Ah." Politically expedient it was, then. He supposed his brother was consolidating power back to himself, walking a tight wire between the colonies and Earth. He supposed his brother would find another general, too. Lady was likely being fitted with a new uniform; perhaps L5 could put his old one into a package and send it to her with his regards.

Fuck.

"Don't look so bereft." The pilot leaned, shoulders against the wall. Honestly, he couldn't have been anywhere but L5; the architecture was remarkable. "You're just here to guarantee that no one sets biological weapons on us again."

He didn't mean to laugh, and it started out as a chuckle that started to get legs on its own as he tried to explain. It was so absurd and simplistic because if _that_ was what they had wanted a guarantee against, they had seized the wrong Khushrenada. Even Dorothy would have been a better shield if that was what they really feared.

Wufei hummed. "That would be the hypoxia. Xian Pu is bringing supplemental oxygen for you, so you might want to lie down now. Preferably before you fall down.”

He didn't argue, lying back down on the bed, still chuckling to himself as he tried to reign it back in. "You've, you've done yourself a disservice if you think that will work. Haven't met my family." Thinner oxygen and heavier gravity. He'd accounted for the gravity and had been trying to adjust to that, but there was no reason for a colony in stable orbit to have lower than Earth oxygen.

No reason except... Well. That wasn't good. "Your brother was actually a bit rattled. Meiran can always tell." Doubtless. Meiran, Meiran... 

He closed his eyes for a moment, a hand up to the bridge of his nose as he tried to keep himself under control. Rattled wasn't a good sign, and it made him wonder what the terms of his new status might be. "He would be. The rest of them would target you _because_ I'm here. Your oxygen levels..." He also hadn't tried talking previously, though it did explain why he'd had so little fight in him for the uniform removal.

"Are the reason we went to war. Well. That and the biological warfare. I could bring you a list, if you'd like." Oh, that was acerbic. "There are reasons why having you here is both dangerous and a good thing. She has a plan. There's always a plan with her."

"Do you have plans?" He remembered her, Wufei's wife, remembered she had fought them on that weird day when everything had gone haywire and the units had crossed purposes in the dumbest way he'd ever experienced, before or since. "The solar power plants are failing?"

"Everything is failing. The biologics dropped by the Alliance..." Oh, that laugh wasn't funny at all. "Well. Let's just say that there's no need for artificially placed birth levels now."

Treize wondered when the first aid shipment was arriving. "Everything can be fixed." He wondered if that was what they wanted from Vingt, when they could have simply asked. The guilt alone would have worked. From that aspect, he did have a number of questions. What was the point in a hostage if they could have had what they needed for the asking? Clearly there was some sort of ulterior motive only he couldn't actually see what it might be unless they were interested in shacking up with him and that was just laughable, so much so that he began to chuckle to himself. "I'm sorry. I'll adjust eventually." One usually had time when climbing a mountain, and he'd seen hypoxia claim more than a few pilots who flew too high without supplementation or had transitioned incorrectly.

A tap sounded, and a young woman entered, long purple hair swept up into two buns on either side of her hair. Clearly he was seeing things. No other explanation. "So, this is one who defeated you, hm?" She cast a sidelong glance at Wufei, who stiffened, face flushing as he looked away from her.

"I'm not Nǚjié zú. I don't have the same hangups about it as you do."

He appreciated that they were speaking Universal for him, so he wasn't completely at sea. "Once I adjust to the oxygen levels, we should see who wins under increased gravity." He would have to ask what that was about, but from the flush, he didn't think he'd get a straight answer, never mind as long as there was an audience.

The smirk on her face said it all. "Oh, Wufei will... what is phrase? Ah. Kick your ass?"

Wufei sighed. "The oxygen, Xian Pu."

It was no wonder he'd been dazed, because the sick sweet relief of bringing the mask up to his face once she handed it to him was unbelievable. He knew enough about acclimatization to work out that it would take a week to start to feel more himself; he'd have to meter the oxygen carefully or he wouldn't adjust properly. "He had the upper hand with gravity on Earth. I did wonder."

"It's slightly heavier here. Just a bit. Just enough." He wasn't imagining that smirk. Definitely not. The man had pinged off of Treize's wall like a particularly aerobic terrier after a tennis ball. And if that didn't say he'd been oxygen deprived, Treize couldn't say what might.

At least he managed to suppress the urge to laugh that time, focused on breathing. He sat up a little, leaning on one elbow. "Enough to what?"

"Just enough for that leap before you..." Ah, and there was the scowl again, right enough.

"We'll have to see how it works here." He was strong enough to keep up with Wufei on Earth, it would probably keep him up once he acclimated. "Assuming you've twisted arms for aid and supplies?"

Xian Pu clucked her tongue as she double checked the oxygen settings. "Ai, Empress has no need for twisted arms. She is too smart for that." 

"That's sufficient, Xian Pu. Thank you." And if she slid a glance at Treize, well. He wasn't entirely sure how to interpret it.

She left the oxygen canister. He could have weaponized it with ease, except if Vingt had given this whole thing his imprimatur then there was nothing to escape to. He reached down to slow the flow a little, still enjoying it for a moment. Just enough to carry on a conversation since Wufei was still lurking, watching him.

"You'll be kept here in the Imperial complex. There will be guards, of course. I should say that the Nǚjié zú are formidable warriors. I wouldn't tempt them to show you." Wufei crossed his arms over his chest. "You're free to roam the grounds once you're accustomed to L5 and sufficient clothing has been provided."

"Why?" He reached down to turn off the flow, because he was going to wean himself and work up to it as soon as he could.

"Because Empress Meiran wishes you to feel welcome. We aren't barbarians, General. Regardless of what you might or might not think."

"Never thought you were barbarians." And that hadn't been what he'd been asking why about, but perhaps it wasn't the time for deep nuanced discussions. "Could have made the easier choice."

Wufei shrugged. "The Empress and I discussed the matter. She and I have quite differing views on the nature of justice. I think it's situational depending on which side you're on, and that the only absolute justice would be killing someone like you when you force my hand. She disagreed."

So the empress had overruled him. That was interesting, he decided. Wufei's posture was tight; he'd been tight in the duel, as well, a suggestion of fluidity beneath the... nerves. Something. 

Treize had the time to work out what it was. "I see."

"I doubt it." Wufei leaned his head back against the wall momentarily. "In any case. She's busy today but will grant you audience when you decide that you're ready to appear in court."

"That's gracious of her." Since she had plans, he was sure there was more to learn, but he kept his eyes on Wufei. He hadn't left yet, and Treize didn't know what he was looking for from him. "It would have been an honor to die by your hand."

He was getting familiar with the darkness of Wufei's eyes, the way they seemed to stare into him. "And how do you think that would have been for me, I wonder." There was a certain set to his head and shoulders. "Do you know, I once told our tutor that it would be just to kill a man like you. I've had some time to think on that, and now I'm not sure I know the answer at all."

"I want to hear your thoughts on justice." Some time when Wufei was less angry, and when Treize felt less like holding two thoughts together was like lighting matches underwater. "We're only responsible for our own choices, but entirely responsible for them. And the consequences. 'I didn't know' isn't good enough."

"No. It isn't. Which is why we aren't talking about the biological canisters that were dropped a few years ago and why your soldiers were here. Your soldiers who nearly killed the Empress, who did kill..." He stopped, and when he laughed, it wasn't pretty. It was rough, and hurt, Treize thought. "There used to be twenty thousand people here. A little over."

"How many now?" Treize knew he shouldn't have kept talking; but there was something grim in Wufei's eyes, exhausted after the battles and the strain and he didn't know what else. He wondered what else.

"A little over thirteen thousand. Most of the elderly. A significant number of the children." Wufei stood up straight and looked at him. "Our daughter would have been eleven in a month."

He grimaced, and there was nothing useful to say to that. There was nothing good he could add. "I'm sorry we didn't kill General Septem sooner."

"So are we." Wufei looked away from him and out the wide window. "The guards will fetch you anything you'd like to eat. The seamstresses should have some appropriate clothing for you in a day or so, and you can let someone know if you'd like to consult with them, which I'm sure you will. The doctors say your few injuries should heal easily."

"I'll adjust to the oxygen in a few days." Now that he knew that was what was going on. But it still left him wondering -- political prisoner, yes, but. But. The why wasn't the best why, and revenge was an obvious answer, but they didn't seem inclined to take it. Not yet. "What do you want me to do?"

"It hasn't been decided yet. I'm sure the empress has something in mind. She always does." There was a twitch to the corner of his mouth, although Treize couldn't tell whether it was amused or irritated.

He supposed with time he would get to a level of nuance and understand. "Then I'll await her verdict." He laid back down, and closed his eyes for a moment.

He might as well rest while he had the chance.

* * *

Meiran looked tired and appallingly triumphant when she made her way straight to their quarters upon her arrival back on colony. She was undoubtedly exhausted, and it wasn't as if Wufei hadn't handled everything in her absence.

Including General Khushrenada.

She had been so pleased to tell him the news on that, to gloat quietly at the ruler of the ESUN, whose brother they now had as a hostage. 

"This was what we were fighting for."

Wufei snorted. "I still don't know what makes you think that they won't bomb us to hell and gone anyway. Most of the Earth confederacies seem to be full of cold blooded bastards."

"Yes. But this will give us time to rebuild, repair, to recover. His brother will be in power for at least long enough for him to be useful to us." She shed her coat, and circled him, expression thoughtful. "And I know what you thought of him."

Goddammit. That was the problem with having a wife who had known him since they were wearing diapers. She knew what he was thinking even when he wasn't forthright about it. "You were only supposed to use that to check in and make sure I was still breathing, not to see me get my ass handed to me."

"You left your Gundam to duel someone person to person. A sane man would have stepped on him. It would have been anticlimactic, but deserved." She lifted his chin with her fingers. "You didn't."

Wufei's teeth ground together. "I wanted him to suffer." And he had wanted it to be personal. He was the reason their daughter had died, the reason that Meiran was so injured that they still weren't sure they would ever have another. "I wanted him to pay. That was the entire reason for the Victoria bombing."

"I know. You were my admirable husband when you did that." She kissed him softly, still holding his chin. "Did you make him suffer while I was gone?"

She knew him, and Wufei allowed himself to kiss her again. "Mmm. No. He was suffering from the lowered oxygen levels. I like it better when things are fair."

She hummed against his mouth. "Earth has sent us a team to repair the oxygen generators and the solar arrays. They arrived with me and are already at the resource satellite." And it made her angry and triumphant, he could tell. They could strangle, that was fine. Heaven forbid one of their own have to adjust to what they'd lived with for years.

Wufei let out a breath. "It's a start." And it was a start, it was at least something. For so long, they'd struggled. Any exports they'd tried had been stalled at the outset, they'd been unable even to sell the ancient pieces of artwork they'd managed to hold onto in order to help support the clan. It had been untenable, and all of this would change that.

He hoped.

"Undress me." She stepped back, watching his face. He never knew what she was seeing there except for everything. "I believe the blockading parties are dead."

"Hm." His fingers were light and easy on the frog closures, familiar. This was usually how their days ended, quiet and enjoying one another's presence in privacy. "That would be excellent, on the whole."

"We spent a great deal of time on who did and did not survive Earth's coup. The results were satisfactory." She seemed to be relaxing a little, and Wufei leaned in, palm cupping the back of her neck as he pressed a kiss behind his ear.

"I suppose now you're grateful that I didn't step on him, hm?"

"If you had, that also would have been satisfying." She tilted her head, letting him have a kiss, her own hands dropping to his shirt. "Have you visited him often or just watched the security camera?"

Too risky. "I visited him once. Since then, I've kept an eye on things. I suspect he could persuade someone to buy seaside real estate in a landlocked country." Her shoulders were lovely. Wufei had always liked the soft skin there and over her collar bones. He still did, and he skimmed the collar over one shoulder and allowed it to drop easily to the floor.

Injured, yes. She had been, and the scars were still there. Some days it was more difficult for her to do things than others because of hip dysplasia. The arthritis had set in earlier than most would expect, and so they were careful of things. Had to be, especially after the injuries she'd received in battle, damn the Alliance. She still practiced all the martial arts that interested her, modified when it needed to be. Nothing felt fixed, finished, and he wished it somehow would have. "Has he made any friends in the staff or are they staying smart?"

"Hm. He's much too paranoid to want to talk to them yet. He keeps thinking that we're going to toss him into the dungeon, as if we even have one. There's just the jail, and that usually only holds someone when they've had too much to drink and gotten a bit too happy about it." His hands slid along the slender curve of her waist. "I'm glad you're home."

"Next time, you come with me. And we'll bring the pet." She leaned into him, pressing against him in a way that made him so very glad to have her.

"Why do you call him a pet? It's insulting." At least a bit amusing; He could appreciate it, as a concept.

"It should be. He could use the rough edges knocked off, the bravado." Her smile was warm when she kissed him. "And you are fond of him."

If his face heated, so what? "Am not." It was childish, and that made it worse. "It's just... It makes no sense." No, no it did not. It had happened perhaps twice, an immediate snap of _that one that one that one_. Meiran had been _that one_ since they were children.

Treize Khushrenada should never have been _that one_ , but there it was.

"If I called some other hostage a pet, would you care? Are you going to pretend to _me_ that it's because of his rank and place in another society that you find it insulting?" She was teasing him, fingers twisting gently at one nipple.

"I hate you," he lied, and leaned in to kiss below her ear again. "What even made you think that..." That he _liked_ him, that the zing that had rippled through him when he got within reach of Treize Khushrenada had knocked him off balance.

"You lost to him. Either he is an extraordinary swordsman indeed, or he was so sexually overwhelming you showed off and slipped up." She shuddered, sighed, and slipped a hand into his pants.

"You're terrible," Wufei told her, and oh, yes -- they'd won and that was quite obviously exciting for her. It was exciting for him, too, and his hands were on her, slipping into the front of her panties. "Does that make you want?"

"Of course I want you." She took a step forward, backing him slowly to their bedchamber. "We have turned the axis of the stars on its head, and changed who is in control of the world. I want to celebrate."

And with Meiran, that could mean almost anything. "Everyone has been told that short of apocalypse, no one is to interrupt, I would imagine." More than imagine, in fact, and he went with her, hand slipping out of her panties, arm sliding around her waist. "Tell me what you want."

"Fetch my harness." She smiled at him, eyes bright and sly. "And the dildo you'd like tonight."

When a woman said something like that, who was he to argue? She was the Empress, after all. "Yes, Empress."

She moved to the bed then, curled herself up on the pillows and throws, smiling at him as she slipped off her panties. Naked and a smile was a gorgeous look on his wife. 

Which left him to choose from the toy box.

Wufei stripped off on the way there, because he knew what she liked to see and he wasn't shy about it. Why should he be? Even royals had their little ways and foibles, and he'd been the one who'd slowly filled their box, mostly when he'd gone off-colony because there were more interesting things there. His wife was quite creative in bed, so she'd had A List.

He'd rather liked that part. It had been fun, going in and seeing what she might like. They'd started small and built up, and... well. Now it was a collection in an ornately carved box with all of them nestled in velvet pouches, wrapped carefully; he knew what was where in the wrapping so it wasn't a mystery. The question was... what did he want? There was an abundance of choice; they'd been married for over a decade, and they'd had time to build up the collection. They both knew quite well what they liked, and he tipped his head to the side, contemplating.

He'd spent time with the man, and all right, he hadn't seen anything explicit, but even a blind man could see that no one would be complaining about a lack of size in the bedroom department.

And that was what his wife was suggesting, wasn't it? Not to throw the General in a dungeon, but to turn him into a pet because Wufei felt a _want_. A very dangerous pet with a very large dick, so he went with a double-ended dildo, and Meiran's favorite harness for something that hefty.

By the time he made it to the bed, he knew very well to be on his knees. She liked it, and she liked it when he caught her right leg, gently tugging so that she was pulled closer to the bottom of the bed. Her legs sprawled around him, and he smiled before getting down to business.

She tugged at the band holding his hair pulled back, carding her fingers softly through the hair, touching but not interfering as he started to lick her. It helped that she was already soaking, that she got off on being who she was in the world, on bossing him and everyone else around. Wufei got off on the fact that she enjoyed it. Well, and the bossing around, he thought, one finger teasing at her entrance, his other hand coming up to gently part the lips and allow him closer, tongue curling just so. He loved doing this for her, loved the way she responded; wanted more than anything to feel that moment when her thighs clamped down around his ears.

"My sweet prince." Her leg flexed, heel light against his back, hands still carding through his hair, massaging his scalp. He half imagined that she gushed, because yes he was hers, and yes, they had been married for forever, but it had never gotten boring, and he seldom forgot his place

Which, to be quite frank, was here, tongue curling against her clit as he teased his fingers deeper, stroking into her while she held him in place. She tasted salty, clean and a little musky, and he buried his nose against her, breathed in for a second before beginning to trace little loops over and around, purposely missing the spot she wanted him, managing to smile just a bit when she pulled him in tight, nearly smothering him for a second.

"More." Her heel on his back was a goad, and he laid his hands on the outside of her thighs, stroking, hearing her breathing quicken, deepen, a suggestion of restlessness in her motions. "I want to come and come tonight."

"Yes, Empress." He murmured the words against her, hummed when he closed his mouth over her clit and sucked sweetly just as he slipped another finger inside, curling them and pressing them up. It earned him what he wanted; a gasp, a buck of her hips, hard and desperate and wanton. God, he loved her.

She ground her hips hard against his fingers, against his tongue, pressure on her pubic bone that she always seemed to like. Her hands clutched tight in his hair, and she laid back on the pillows piled into the bed. Meiran was moaning so loudly that she could undoubtedly be heard elsewhere in the Imperial complex, and neither of them cared. Not when she tasted so good to him, thighs starting to clamp down hard enough that it was difficult for him to breathe.

It was a relief when she leaned back, hips rolling in small circles, because he could get air again, just briefly enough not to die. The first orgasm was easy; the later ones he'd work for. But he could feel the flutter and clench of her inner walls against his fingers while she circled her hips for more, more that she wouldn't get until later. "Oh yes, yessss..."

Yes, and god, he did love it. "Mhm." He sounded a bit breathless, but with good reason. Breathing was overrated given the chance to start her off like that. "Mhmm."

"Ohh." She inhaled, and shivered in a way that made him fear for the sides of his head again, thighs squeezing lightly around him as she rubbed a thumb against his temple. "Fetch yourself lube."

Leaning up, he offered her his mouth and she took it because that was what she did, how she did. And he couldn't say that he didn't love it, didn't love being her prince consort, as it were. "Yes, Empress."

"Your ass is always lovely," she sighed, while he walked away, and it made him smile a little as he fetched the oil from the sideboard drawer that would make it smoother, longer, for both of them. "I can't wait to see it split."

And when he turned, there was still just the one answer. "Yes. Empress."

It pleased her deeply, he could see, from the way she trailed fingers over her cunt, dipping two into herself for a second. He brought the oil back to the bed, and she had stretched out, pleased and sated and wanting more while she fitted the double ended dildo into the harness. "You may place it."

There were a great number of privileges in his life, and he contemplated all of them, watching her shift, knees spreading wide to accommodate him. His thumb trailed over her clit, slow and teasing, as he took it from her, looking up at her through his lashes. He almost wanted to dive in again, lick her clean and start all over, but she had that look. He knew it well, the look that said he had best do what he was told, and he wasn't fool enough not to do precisely that.

Another night, and there might be less direction; another night, and there might be fewer toys, or more toys, but for just then there were clear crisp orders and the harness and dildo in his hand. He brought the head of it up to her cunt, running it gently through her slick first before starting to ease it in. She spread her legs a fraction wider, invitation, a hand flat on her stomach. He enjoyed the view, and knew she was thinking of having him in the morning. It was how her tastes tended to run, when she had the time.

Right now, they had the time. All of the time, and she gasped, arched up as he pushed it deeper, just a little, before sliding it back out again. By the time it was fully seated, she was biting her lower lip, and that look in her eye promised him that everything that came next would be so good. So good, and he sighed, helping her to settle the harness in place and buckling it on when it was as it should be.

He knew she liked the feeling of fullness, of being deeply fucked while she fucked him. Meiran got up onto her knees carefully, and kissed him while she opened the oil, pouring a splash onto her fingers to stroke along the length of the dildo. "Hands and knees."

"Yes, Empress." He crawled up onto the bed, settling himself comfortably precisely the way she wanted him because he knew. He knew exactly what he should do for her.

It was worth it when she leaned over him, delicate hands on his sides, pressing soft kisses against his spine, getting him to relax, though he didn't need help being aroused. "I wonder how different the real thing will feel." One hand moved from his side to circle his asshole with a light touch. Her fingernails were always unfashionably short.

"Me, too." And if it hadn't been a foregone conclusion, well. It certainly was now. Wufei was sure that the good general would be significantly different than this, although he couldn't imagine just how. There were other things he should consider there, but right now all he wanted to think about was Meiran, the feel of her, the press of her against his body, what she was going to do to him.

She leaned against his back, a soft press of her boobs against his skin, kissed at him, savoring what she was doing as she slid one finger into him slowly. "Love doing this to you."

Wufei's breath shivered out in a sigh, legs tensing slightly, and then he relaxed, let himself go loose. "Ahhh, that's..." Good. He enjoyed that, and just thinking about what was coming was enough to make him moan, dropping to his elbows because she knew just what to do.

She added more oil, playing slowly with his ass, slipping slick fingers down to stroke at his dick, to tug him harder while she started to ease two slicked fingers into him with deliberate steadiness. "Always so tight."

"'s been a while." So long, _too_ long. He'd spent time on Earth, time captured, time fighting, and fuck he was so glad to be home, to be hers, to be where he belonged. "Fuck, Meiran."

"I missed you. Too long. You've earned a long, long rest..." He'd earned the press of her familiar body against his back, her hand gently stroking his dick, a third thin finger sneaking into his ass. God, this was so much better than jerking off on his own, and he was worried he'd come before she even got in him.

"Mei, Mei, I missed you, please, I..."

"Tell me what you want." She didn't go still, but she slowed, kept sliding those three fingers back and forth, stretching and twisting.

Oh. That was easy. "Fuck me, Mei, make me, make me..." Do what she wanted, make him come, make him _everything_ , fuck. "Cock ring, or, or I'll..." He should have thought about it. He should have, but fuck yes.

She wrapped her fingers tight around the base of his dick, so tight that perhaps it would work. And then she let go, and started to pull her fingers out. "If you come too soon, you will simply have to enjoy it until I am done."

Sweet fuck, he loved her. "Y-yes, Empress." Yes, and he held his breath for a second before letting it out, dropping his head for her, relaxing.

She straightened up, trailing slick fingers over his asscheek for a moment before he felt the thick pressure against his asshole, pressing and sliding a little as she attempted to get it past the first clench of his anus. "So good to have you home."

It had been a long time. Maybe he shouldn't have been that ambitious, maybe he should have tried for one of the smaller ones, and his jaw dropped open, mouth wide, and all he could do was gasp, try to pull in breath, hands clenching in the sheets. "A-ahhhhh." Ah, fuck, and then he felt it, muscled spasming wider, and he did breathe in then, sharp enough that his throat ached. "Fuck!"

"Ohhhh." Meiran's fingers clutched at his hips, tight for a moment, and she rocked it, just gentle and slight, bump bump bumping it steadily deeper into him with the determination of a slow jackhammer. "Spread out so wide for me." She dragged a thumb against his hole, tracing, pressing softly where it was already stretched. It sent shudders through him, and he shifted the placement of his knees, head dropping to the bed.

He whimpered, and his cock was heavy between his legs, and he wanted to touch. Wanted to, but he didn't dare. It would be too soon, and she'd fucked him through post-orgasm before so he knew she meant it. Wufei couldn't decide if that was good or bad. "Mei, Mei..."

"Shhh, you can take it all." She kept at it, teasing at his rim, and rocking into him until he felt her hips press against his ass, until she was moving in small tight circles grinding against him, rocking slowly. "See?"

"Mhm." Yes, yes, he saw, he did, and every press made his knees tremble because fuck, that was so good. That was so good, and one shaky hand rose, waved that it was all right. "Yes. Yes, yes, yes."

Meiran pulled her hips back, gave him one more deep stroke that threatened to flatten him to the mattress, and then started to steadily rock, having found that spot inside herself that she was going to ride, moaning.

He felt stretched wide, so open, and he could only imagine what it would feel like when it was an actual cock pushing into him, someone broader behind him, bigger, and if he was making noise, well. It was just so fucking _good_. "Missed this, fuck, fuck!"

"Oh yes. Yes..." She was bucking against him, driving the cock in his ass back and forth when she reached between his legs again to stroke his dick, permission in a way.

She'd just have to fuck him through it, because he didn't. He couldn't, couldn't not come if she kept that up, kept fucking him as though the world might end and she wouldn't care, she'd just keep on and on and on, and he gasped for breath, sobbing out her name. And she kept on, and on, bucking faster, stroking his dick, pulling, delicate fingers twisting as he half collapsed forward onto the bed, riding him down, moaning and coaxing and finally twisting her hips in that jerky familiar way that said Meiran had come, clutching tight to him.

He was shaky now, still riding that sharp orgasm, and Wufei was fairly certain that his knees had turned to jelly somewhere in there. "Fuck." His voice was slurred, quiet, although he was fairly certain that he hadn't been a few minutes ago. "I missed you, Mei." 

He felt it, too, when she slouched against his back, and gave a playful rock of her hips. "Mmm. I missed you, too. I think a bath..." When she moved, when they both felt like moving again, but he had missed the feel of her; the press of her body, the smell of sex, that they were both sticky and slick.

Wufei couldn't help whining a bit. He was sore now in all of the good ways, and still highly sensitive. Being offered a bath instead of further fucking seemed perfect. After all. 

There was a whole night to spend this way with her, and many more after.

* * *

Treize had just adjusted to at the lower levels of oxygen when the atmosphere maintenance systems came roaring back online, a subtle hum of noise he had been accustomed to on L1 and L3 and hadn't heard often on L5. 

It left him feeling far too elated as he sat at the writing desk that was piled up with Chinese and L5 histories in Universal and a number of books on how to start learning Mandarin. There was a half finished letter to his brother, as well, that he had scrapped twice because he didn't know what to say that didn't sound impossibly bitter and tired when he was trying hard to be neither.

No one had been unkind; if anything, they had been overly solicitous in a way that made him paranoid, had been kind and seen to his needs with little conversation and no denials regarding what he was or was not allowed. It set his nerves on edge. Everything set his nerves on edge, because the outcome of the war still seemed.... impossible. It wasn't as if he'd failed, in the end -- everything had turned out just as he'd wanted, except for himself. He had planned to be dead; most people would have considered him completely unhinged for being upset that he was a political hostage rather than a corpse, but when one had prepared for a certain outcome and found themselves shoved into something completely different... It was a struggle. Add onto that the fact that his only job here was to sit and do nothing, and he could honestly say that he was absolutely certain that going mad would be possible. It wasn't as if it didn't run in the family.

Treize has taken to sitting up late and sleeping in for a few days. It felt off, weird and jangly, not to be up before sunrise and going for a run, so that experiment had been short lived. Now he kept up a normal schedule and tried to keep himself occupied for all the good it was doing. Also, learning Mandarin was difficult enough with conversation partners. His guards didn't have a lot to say. Most of them seemed to be women, but he had absolutely no doubt that they were all willing to handle any situation that might arise.

Not that there was any point in trying to escape. He didn't doubt that he could find his way to a spaceport, commandeer a vehicle, and then what? Go to Earth? He had been formally handed over to them by his own brother, legally. There were no options, no recourse. There was nowhere to escape to. 

He gave up on his letter to Vingt and stood up. Perhaps his first letter to him would simply say 'still alive, being treated well, excellent work on repairing the atmospheric generators' and that would suffice. Having an Earth standard amount of oxygen again was baffling as he knocked on the door to his quarters to get the attention of whatever guard was standing outside.

The woman who opened the door was the same woman he'd met when pilot 05 was present. Her name sounded something like shampoo, which seemed quite a bit more ridiculous than purple hair. "Yes?" Her Universal was always a tad hesitant.

That was funny, because it sounded excellent to his ears. He supposed he could have tried French or Russian on her if he wanted to throw a wrench into the works. "Would the empress be available for an audience in the near future? I'm interested in what her final verdict is about my status." As Wufei had indicated she had plans for him, though he hadn't seen the former Gundam pilot since.

Understandable. He was no doubt very very glad to be home again after the last year.

The way her face lit up with amusement could be very bad or very good. "Empress says she will find time to speak with the new house pet soon. Emperor consort has been busy reviewing repairs. Reviewing? Supervising?"

"I'm afraid I misheard you," he said, smiling carefully as he watched her facial expressions, looking for cues that she had absolutely not mis-spoken. "House pet?"

Ah, from the look on her face, he rather thought that he had heard correctly. "This is not the correct word? Meow, meow? House pet?"

House pet. House... pet.

Treize stood very still, watching her, trying not to betray a reaction. "No, that is probably the phrase you meant; it just wasn't what I was expecting. Thank you."

And then he very carefully shut the door again, and stared out into the room he was being kept in. House pet, yes, there was the aspect of revenge he had expected but not guessed how it would show itself. "Meow meow. Fuck."

Well, if the Empress thought he'd be caught wearing a goddamned collar, she was very wrong. He'd be damned if he would. Nor would he crawl for her, and his teeth ground together in irritation at the thought. Fucking house pet, indeed.

Treize managed to keep himself calm as he sat down again, picking up pen and paper for that third try of a letter to his brother.

> "To keep this brief: I have been treated well, but these circumstances are not ideal. We are having a misunderstanding of what a political prisoner is, or perhaps we are not having a misunderstanding. I have not seen documents you signed agreeing to this, which lays out the left and right limits. Please send.
> 
> T.K."

It would have to do.

He could feel the pulse in his left temple pick up with the irritation. House pet! His ire rose and he tapped his foot, annoyed, as he addressed the envelope, leaving it unsealed for review. No one had said that he had ought, but he wasn't ignorant. It was just expected.

He had briefly been imprisoned on L4 over a misunderstanding that had involved alcohol and their colony leader's son after a diplomatic dinner, and during the two weeks it had taken to sort that mess out, he'd become acquainted with some of the rules of being a prisoner as a functional matter rather than a philosophical one. This looked to be a more permanent situation.

Giving everything up for the moment, he mentally threw up his hands in annoyance and stalked off to have a nice long soak with a middling adventure novel that mostly consisted of a rather improbable spy who mostly seemed to slut his way around in order to solve interplanetary problems for queen and country. It was good to see that things didn't change much even in fiction.

His skin was pruned by the time he got out, but he was a great deal more relaxed. Trashy novels and a bath did tend to do that for him, he had to say. There were still worries floating around, but nothing that was battering its way to the forefront of his brain for the moment, at least.

He dried off, and for the first time paid particular attention to the clothes he'd been given. Simple suiting in a brilliant shade of blue that fit well, a jacket in the same style he had seen Wufei in when he had visited the once. There was embroidery, and he hadn't really given it much thought before, because there were embroidered panels on the inside of his own daily wear uniform jacket, and all over his formal dress uniform. He hadn't noticed any of the guards wearing something with so much embroidery, though, and he couldn't recall if he had seen it on Wufei. It was lovely, delicate, pure embellishment for the sake of the thing. That made him quite curious, and he traced his fingers over it thoughtfully. Did it mean something he was unaware of? He wished he had the resources available to research things more thoroughly. He didn't have access to any resources other than books, though, so he slipped on the pants -- no underwear had been given to him, which hadn't been remarkable until his guard had said 'meow meow' at him -- then the tank top and jacket, sitting sideways on the small bed for a change of scenario as he picked up a dictionary.

Two and a half hours later, he was still staring at its pages when a knock came upon the door. It was the guard again, face expressionless. "The Empress has said that she will see you now."

"Thank you." He stood up and, on a whim, picked up the letter to his brother to carry with him because he suspected no matter what she said to him, he was going to have questions.

The Imperial complex was lovely and clearly in need of some amount of restoration. Possibly even a significant amount of such, if he looked closely, which made him frown. This was why he wanted the colonies to win, to be allowed to determine their own path instead of being shackled by Earth and the Alliance. They had dropped biological weapons in a colony full of people who were obviously already suffering from the costs of simply living.

At the behest of the government that had sent them into space in the first place. He took his time taking it in, noting the kind of work that needed to be done, the kind of work that had no doubt stopped during his brother's hard crackdown on the colony rebels as the head of Romefeller; a long, bitter decade of conflict between Earth and the colonies until he'd turned the Alliance inside out.

It was possibly little wonder Vingt had turned him over to the first group who wanted him, given everything he had done over the course of his life. Taking a deep breath, he notched up his chin as they brought him to what was clearly a room for receiving people informally. The guard didn't knock, simply stood with him in the doorway until the Empress bid them enter.

She looked every inch an empress, gorgeous in her robes and finery; it made Treize regret that his mission to L5 hadn't been diplomatic in nature. He had all of the details, the facts; their ages, how the Alliance had moved them to the colony in AC 170 with support from all available units, the ascension to the throne young as the previous emperor hadn't survived the move due to regrettable circumstances.

He hadn't needed an intelligence package to remember the attack in 187. 

As if it were a diplomatic mission, he entered the room and bowed as would have been appropriate in Sanc. "Empress."

For a moment, she continued writing. When she laid down her pen, she turned fully toward him, and he could see that her beauty had not been exaggerated. "General Khushrenada. I hope you're enjoying our hospitality."

Not a damn bit. "Your people have been very helpful and understanding." Her Universal was perfect, as was Wufei's, and he wondered where the pilot was. "Your... husband had mentioned you had plans."

That secret smile was barely seen, a tiny curve of her mouth as her lashes lowered. "The emperor consort would in fact say that I always have plans. Most of which he would declare to be nefarious, but we have been married for over a decade now. He would know."

What state a colony had to be in to send their emperor consort to fight the war for them. And what a state they had been in to have let her go up in a half finished prototype in the first place. "I imagine he would know. The implication had been that you were going to come to a verdict on what to do with me while I'm here."

"And I have. So, tell me. Would you like a tutor to assist you in speaking a more civilized tongue while you are with us?" He could tell that she was amused to make him the offer.

Because he was the barbarian, the odd man out there. "I'm afraid French is my native tongue, so I'm unsure how well this will go, but yes. Please."

"Of course." Turning in her seat, she looked up at him. "Presumably you've been told to make requests for anything you need. If you please, make a specific list and it will be made available to you." When she paused, he could see her looking him up and down, gaze taking him in from top to bottom. "And of course it is possible that the Emperor Consort may decide to put your talents to use. I understand you are quite good with mechanics."

Perhaps he was being paranoid. It was very easy to slip into paranoia if one wasn't careful, and it had certainly gripped Vingt once or twice in their lives. "I am. I would appreciate having something to do every day other than read."

She nodded her head once. "I will speak to him. Appropriate clothing will, of course, be made available to you once we are in agreement." He wasn't imagining the way she was looking at him. Surely he wasn't.

He twitched an eyebrow at her and said after a moment, "One of your guards rather distinctly used the word house pet. It was apparently not a translation error."

Oh, that was the expression of cat who'd gotten into the cream all right. Her mouth did something wicked and lovely. "Did she? My, what will people say. Most of them don't speak Universal very often. No need, you understand." Which was neither a yes nor was it a no.

"She was quite sure when she referred to me as a house pet. She even meowed." No, suddenly he was sure he wasn't being paranoid, and that he might as well hand the letter over as it was, because he did not need to tone it down.

The Empress clicked her tongue. "I suppose I will need to have a word with her, then. It's impolite to say such things."

"It isn't impolite unless it wasn't what you meant." He said it very carefully, keeping his expression neutral.

She gestured with one hand. "Well, aren't you a house pet? To be catered to, petted and generally spoiled but not allowed out?"

Treize felt his jaw clench, as he tried to control his facial expression. "That... is not how I think of a political prisoner. I, uh, have a letter for my brother. I'd like more information."

"A copy of the Accords will be made available to you. If you would like to converse with him, arrangements will be made." She rose, much shorter than him, and when she walked forward it was with a careful gait. "We will keep you well, General. But we will keep you."

"Is it to be indefinitely?" He turned to face her as she moved around the desk, watching her careful gait. "If so, I would like to speak with him, yes."

"Indefinitely, yes." She paused, hands folded just so in front of her. "That is yet to be determined. Xian Pu," she called. "Please make arrangements for the general to speak with the ESUN president."

"Thank you. I would like to see a copy of the Accords, as well." A house pet to be catered, petted, and spoiled? That was not what he was expecting to have heard.

He wasn't even sure what it meant, for one thing.

For another, he might well be afraid of what it meant.

"You may return to your quarters. Once I speak with the Emperor consort and Xian Pu has made the required overtures for a video conference with your brother, you will be fetched." Well. That was better than playing fetch, he supposed.

"Thank you, Empress." He waited for a moment to be dismissed, took the slight nod for what it was and had to walk past and around her to go back out the exit. He had a distinct feeling she was looking at his backside.

* * *

In some ways, Wufei thought that it felt like babysitting. In others, it felt like the awkward matchmaking Meiran had tried with one of their other friends before Wufei had declared himself a one woman man. Or at least he'd thought he was.

Treize Khushrenada was quite the interesting twist in his plans, for lack of any better way to define the matter. And with him had come a definite improvement in their circumstances in a way that was undeniable and angered him. Suddenly resources were available; suddenly they cared about the biological weapons they had released. It could have been the long end to the long war, the change in the balance of power, or it could have been a suspicious coincidence.

The man was handsome, just genuinely handsome; he had taken to going for jogs along the perimeter of the compound, looking to all the world like an animal surveying the pen. Wufei was embarrassed to admit that it was quite distracting.

Rumor had it that he'd been referred to as a house pet to his face. And by rumor he meant that Meiran had flatly told him as much, amusement written across her face. Of all the people in the world to whom such a thing should never have been said, Wufei was certain that the good general was at the top of the list.

He had been given a copy of the Accords and had grown quieter, from the video of his quarters. Spent more time staring out the window, not reading. It was a thing to be grappled with, Wufei supposed. And reaching Vingt Catalonia hadn't been easy, nor had arranging a time to talk to him. The man was undoubtedly swamped trying to rearrange any number of treaties and accords, but Wufei felt sure that the idea of facing his brother after writing him off and handing him over to L5 had to be daunting.

Still, they had finally managed. It had taken some doing and a fair bit of stringent acrimony in Wufei's part, in fact. Xian Pu has said that she had been blocked at every attempt and it would clearly take someone with a more important name to get through -- or, as she informed him with a great deal of irritation, a man.

But a Gundam pilot -- not the Emperor Consort of one of five colonies, no, but a _Gundam_ pilot, that was a respected thing. That had worked. Which was why he was carrying the comms device to the man's quarters, to be there when the call started.

Well. That and his wife was curious to know what was said. She had also mentioned that the general might be interested in accompanying him on one of the various work groups. Apparently while the view of him running was much appreciated, she was starting to look at him as though he resembled a tomcat looking to jump over the fence.

Wufei didn't think he would, but perhaps he was wrong. He nodded to the guard, who let him enter.

Khushrenada had pen and paper out and had looked to be sketching something, though he stopped when the door opened, and closed the notebook he'd been using. Wufei didn't miss the speculative look on his face.

"Hello."

"We've managed to arrange a call with President Catalonia as you requested." Wufei wondered what that look was about, precisely. "And the Empress mentioned that you might want to join me as we work on some of the less well maintained sections of the colony."

"Yes. Yes I would, I've never spent this long without something to do." Well, he had learning a new language to work on, but clearly that wasn't something he was throwing himself into wholeheartedly. "And it will be good to talk with my brother."

"Of course. I will be present, naturally, but feel free to converse as you wish. We will be working in the fifth quadrant tomorrow. It's the section most heavily damaged by mobile suits and... other things in the attack of 187." Their daughter's memorial was there, so he would go see her before the day was done.

"I would like to join you and help, if you'll allow me." Wufei handed him the comms screen, and opened the call link. It was secure, which Catalonia had insisted on; another reason for him to be in the room.

"I've heard you're a passing fair engineer." Wufei's mouth twitched into a smile. "If given to a slightly bizarre preference in color scheme."

"Epyon achieved the desired effect." There was an answering smile, one of the few that he had seen since taking the man hostage. "I'd like to know who recovered it."

"There was very little to recover." And what there had been, he was sure Quatre had managed. He had been grimly convinced that they needed to be rid of both ZERO and Epyon System. Considering he'd lost a kidney to Dorothy Catalonia while she was using it certainly was good reason if nothing else.

"I could make another." He threw that out there, an offer, still looking thoughtful, speculative, as if the wheels were turning furiously inside his skull. And then the call came through, one secure line to another, and Treize answered it immediately.

"Vingt." Something in Treize's expression shifted, softened. "It's good to see you." They looked to be the same age, though he knew the man on the other end of the call was younger. He looked a little more delicate, a little mousy, exhausted. Wufei wondered if there was anyone supporting him in affairs of state now that his right hand was kept away from him. 

Meiran was indeed a wonder of planning.

 _"Treize. You're looking well."_ There was a question underlying that statement, unspoken but clearly acknowledged. _"It's very good to see you."_

"I'm being treated well." Wufei was over his shoulder on the screen, and had no plan of hiding it. "Books and room to run. The empress graciously provided me a copy of the Accords."

 _"We're working on those."_ He sounded grimly dissatisfied with their progress, and Wufei was sure that he would continue to do so for some time. Meiran was unlikely to let go before she was ready. _"At this time, your stay on L5 is indefinite. I'm sorry, Treize. I should have done better, but the Empress was insistent."_ That was one word to use, Wufei supposed.

He watched the General, former General, go quiet. If it had been Meiran who had been that quiet, with quite that posture to her shoulders, she would have been picking which angry phrase would best flay someone to the marrow.

"I won't be there to fix things for you."

That did say something right there, and Wufei thought he wasn't imagining the way that President Catalonia straightened or the way his brows drew together sharply. _"I'll manage somehow, I suppose. I'm sorry I couldn't bring you home."_

Khushrenada put a hand down flat on the desk, looking thoughtful. "You'll be fine. I was going to go, anyway. I... this isn't how I'd planned. I miss you."

 _"Treize."_ The man sounded tired and irritated all at once. _"I have no doubt your plan ended with you dead, so I much prefer this one if it's all the same."_ Then he softened. _"I miss you, too."_

So the suicidal tendencies were known to at least the man's own family. That was fascinating and bizarre, Wufei supposed, trying to blend into the background of the video link. Treize sighed. "Indefinite is going to be a long time, isn't it? I won't be coming home, will I?"

 _"I don't know."_ They both looked lost, then, and it was sort of sad. Maybe Wufei would feel guilty if he had any of that left in him right now. He didn't have any guilt left. Not for those two, not with everything they had done, one or the other or both.

Treize kept his eyes fixed on his brother. "What's it you're always telling me? Stop chasing your own tail. So. How are you? What've you been doing? Bring me up to date. Let's pretend this is a long, shit assignment, like Mogadishu was."

After that, the conversation felt lighter, prattling talk that wandered into discussion of their relatives and half a dozen friends of the family, and then a good dozen people who were clearly friends of absolutely no one, at a guess. Very little of it was political in nature, in the end, and Wufei was deathly bored by the end of it.

His hostage seemed pleased, though, and the president of ESUN agreed to call again in two weeks, and he could hear the wheels turning distantly in Meiran's head, pleased. There was the proof of life they had demanded, an open conduit, and eventually one or the other of them would slip up with time and familiarity.

Treize looked less grim, though he was still looking at Wufei with a thoughtful eye when he handed the unit back to him. "Thank you; that was important to me."

"Of course. We aren't planning anything terrible, you know. Although I doubt that you'll accept that as reassurance." Wufei shrugged, holding onto it. "The Empress isn't out for some sort of revenge."

"She's been referring to me as a house pet." The look in his eyes said that the man absolutely did _not_ believe it wasn't going to be about revenge.

There was no stopping his chuckle, so he dipped his head to hide most of the humor on his face. "The year I was twelve, she would only refer to me as her puppy. She very much wanted to lead me around in a leash. It's... a quirk." His hand rose, brushed the platinum links of the collar he always wore on colony.

He didn't expect the man to touch the edge of the collar lightly now that it was showing, just for a second. "Your wife has you collared."

Wufei couldn't keep from flushing, both at the touch and at his words. "My wife is the Empress. She does as she pleases." 

"I'm aware of most aristocracy's idiosyncrasies, but this is the first one I've seen in a while that doesn't seem to be entirely mean spirited." There was a sideways pull to Treize's mouth as he looked at Wufei when Wufei straightened up, having pulled his hand back. "She outsmarted my brother; he was running an empire at thirteen. And you didn't play to the games I set up for the other pilots."

Wufei shrugged. "We were exiled for many reasons. Our unwillingness to conform supposedly made us a danger, but we were never a large clan, nor were the Nǚjié zú. Smart, though. Wiley, long lived. I suspect they felt threatened for many reasons. Also," he smiled, "we had excellent tutors."

Tutors who were among the premier scientists, tutors who had built the Gundams to destroy Earth. Except Earth had things they didn't, that they needed resource satellites to supply them. They had metal in abundance, and the Earth had rain, and cows, and sheep, and madmen who wanted people to obey them.

"If it's not about revenge, why?"

The real answer was complicated and embarrassing and basically amounted to the fact that Meiran enjoyed spoiling him as much as he enjoyed pleasing her. "The Empress has her reasons. They're many and varied, I suppose. She doesn't want you to suffer. It's not about that. Plus you have significant enough experience working with mobile suits that you're undoubtedly going to be a great help in the repairs."

"Are you repairing the colony or the suits or both?" That was perhaps an answer he could believe, because it didn't seem suspicious to him. The truth was stranger and would perhaps take some time for Wufei to work through, though Treize was leaning back against the writing desk, posture open and...

And perhaps he was sending signals all on his own, but Wufei wasn't sure. He'd never really dated anyone, there had just been Meiran. He was probably going to fail to pick up the signals and this was going to be a disaster. "Yes." That seemed the safest option. "Some of the others are destroying their mobile suits. We don't feel that to be the wiser option." For a multitude of reasons.

"Barton still head of L3?" Treize closed his eyes, and added, "The disarmers will be under his boot next."

"L3 bears watching." And more than watching. It was the main reason Wufei had decided it was unwise to follow suit and destroy his Gundam.

"Tomorrow, then. What time?" There was a suggestion of the man who had challenged him to a duel, a brightness to his face at the idea of rebuilding mechs. For or with someone who had captured him, so apparently that didn't matter as much as Wufei would have thought it might.

"I'm well known to not be the best first thing in the morning." Which was why the majority of his attacks had come at night. "Around nine? I need sufficient time to be less..." Grumpy and sleepy and generally annoyed to be awake.

"Nine. It isn't as if I have anywhere else to be." Which meant at seven the man would probably be jogging the perimeter of the palace. Or was it closer to eight? It had certainly become a sport among some of the guards, most of them discussing what the man's preferences might be and sighing over the breadth of his shoulders.

Wufei couldn't blame them.

"Right. I'll see you then. Xian Pu will bring you to the appropriate place."

"Thank you. It will be very good to be doing something useful again." He stood up like someone seeing off a guest; it was funny that even a prisoner could still manage to be imperious, but Wufei would have expected no less from him.

"Of course." He wasn't sure which way their plans would be going, but Wufei was fairly certain that they would figure it out soon enough.

He'd pass it all back to Meiran -- the conversation, the discussion with Vingt, the complicated... whatever there was. Siblings, something. He wasn't sure, but he knew his wife would be pleased.

And the next day, he would take the man to a part of the colony he'd personally helped destroy.

* * *

It was good to have something to do again.

Treize was accustomed to a high level of activity. He'd been called a workaholic more often than he'd been called a manslut, and that was saying something. Being inactive had been driving him to distraction and it was unbearable.

Then again, seeing the damage wrought to the colony by Alliance troops was also significantly uncomfortable.

There had been a fight between the units involved which wasn't worth spelling out because it was a hollow protest. His unit had been given the order first and then Septem had decided to use biologics, and an Alliance order was different than one coordinated between Romefeller and the Alliance as part of the alliance. He hadn't planted the biologics, but his unit had been there to fight the rogue mobile suits, to suppress the rebellion, and they'd done an excellent job.

It had been the first time Treize had seen a proper Gundam, even unfinished, in battle. Now he focused on the singular mech that was positioned in the cleared wreckage, surrounded by scaffolding, noting other damaged mechs, Leos, a few Mobile dolls that had been brought in from space.

They were surrounded by row upon row of markers, Chinese characters on them. He didn't have to be able to read them to know what they were. It seemed a macabre sort of memorial with battle damaged mobile suits for guardians.

"The shops are just this way," Wufei advised. "It was easier to set them up here after the fact. Being caught flat footed with just the two of us able to fight was.... difficult." Undoubtedly made more so by the fact that their Empress and Emperor Consort were the ones doing the fighting.

That had been the point, though. "You fought well. We preferred to use overwhelming force to wrap a battle up quickly; most of the challenged colonies didn't mount a return attack." The positioning of everything was such that those who worked on the Gundam, the other mechs, wouldn't be able to question why they were repairing them or what they had cost.

"The most physical damage was here." Wufei paused, knelt down, and sent his fingers lightly slipping over the grooves of one of the stones. "My mother had taken Wei-Lin to visit the market two sections over. Once the biologics were detected, the colony began sealing doors to contain what we could. They got the worst of it in that section because the market had greater airflow." On a colony where airflow was clearly problematic.

In a way, it had probably saved lives. "That was the decision the 'peaceful doves' made. Never dirty their hands," Treize offered quietly, looking out at the field. "It was seen as gentler than using the mechs."

Wufei stood again, looking up at him. "But yours was the name I heard when my wife nearly died. So you were the one I was aiming at."

"My unit had the order first; Septem decided it was easier to have you all die of some plague after the natural occurrence on one of the L1 colonies. What happened here was... a badly coordinated clusterfuck. But I was responsible for the armed Leos. I was in one of them."

And oh. Oh, that look was a conflict in every aspect, anger and sorrow and something else he couldn't quite place. "She lived. Despite everything. She lived and she sent me to Earth to make sure that the Alliance and the Specials fell. Wei-Lin wasn't the only child who died. There were so many."

"I'm sorry." It hadn't been their goal, to kill children, non-combatants. It was why the fight had been mostly in space, but their fight had forestalled help in dealing with the contamination. "We were unprepared for the fallout from what we did."

"We were just unprepared." Wufei shook his head. "I didn't want to be a pilot. I just wanted to continue my studies. That attack changed everything."

He could have steered it either way, but he said instead, "What were you studying?"

"Engineering and resource management. We had problems with the blockades that were put in place so it was important to know what needed repairing and how we could do it." Wufei frowned. "Which is why I'm the person with this project. We should probably get to work."

"Show me where to start." He could possibly help there, though it was just as likely that without the blockades in place everything was clearing up naturally.

"Right. This way, then. There's plenty to work with. We salvaged most of this in 187, but some of it came in later." In the attack on L5 when Romefeller had gone looking for Wufei there. That fight had been vicious and dirty and Wufei had won it. 

"They might as well have blown the suits in place, throwing dolls at a skilled pilot." They could only go through so many moves, bound to the chess game when a human opponent could flip the board and beat them to death with the time clock. He followed Wufei into a sheltered hanger and the smell of the place, flux and metal, put him at ease, seeing other people at work on parts.

"Yes. I thought the same. This way." Wufei began to lead him through the chaos and toward the back of the shop. "You'll recognize this."

It was completely disassembled, but he recognized it immediately; parts of Tallgeese II, the cockpit sitting on a platform, the lower body partially reassembled but not enough yet to stand it upright. "Looks better than I thought it would."

"You're lucky I managed to avoid putting my trident straight through you." Yes, and that had been remarkable. Wufei's aim had shifted at the last moment and managed to disable him instead.

"I thought I'd mentioned that was the plan," he said, heading up to the cockpit to see what shape it was in. It would require a great deal of work to get it up and running again, but Tallgeese II would be worth a hundred repaired Leos.

"You had. That's quite a burden to place on someone." Wufei was staring at the mobile suit as if remembering that moment.

"You didn't struggle with killing other pilots," Treize said over his shoulder as he crouched to check the computers beneath the seat.

"It's different when you know who's in there." Wufei crossed his arms over his chest. "Tools are on the wall, just ask if you need anything in particular."

"You're going to let me rebuild it?" He was a little surprised, and mostly pleased -- after all it would be an advantage to them if they could find a pilot capable of not dying under the strain of the machine.

"Is there any reason that we shouldn't? We aren't expecting to attack anyone, and you're living here as much as anyone. We learned from the last attack that we needed better defense than just the Empress and me." And the Empress undoubtedly wouldn't be in any of the mobile suits if the set of Wufei's jaw said anything.

"I'm unsure if the situation were reversed we would be so..." He shrugged his shoulders, opening a panel and finding burned out wires. "Wise."

Wufei hummed by way of answer. "I've wrapped up my other project for now. Would you like assistance?"

"Absolutely!" He sat down cross legged in front of the panel with the burned-out wires because it was going to have to start with that level of tedious work to get the control center of Tallgeese up and running again. Still. He was familiar with it, and it was nice to have something familiar here, something he knew. Something that was black and white with no confusing grays. It wasn't that he didn't work well in greys; they were a space he navigated well, but he didn't have control, wasn't able to change anything, and it had been a long long time since he'd last faced that particular challenge. But a machine, he could change. A machine was something he could work with, something that made sense. More sense than whatever the Empress had in mind, in any case, because he was stuck somewhere between the words _house_ and _pet_ , still contemplating what on Earth she could mean by that. He had a great deal of gut instinct that was telling him the answer, and he didn't think he was wrong about it; the Accords had been very loosely written, and he was a small paragraph down at the bottom that amounted to very little that was enforceable. He wasn't the lawyer in the family, but.

If she wanted to make a house pet of him, in the sense that had him thinking of collars and sex, or even food bowls on the floor, he didn't seem to have any recourse except anger.

Anger and resistance was an option; it might also make things worse or make them better, he couldn't know until he actually put up some sort of resistance. He felt like he had certainly tried depression and disconnection as options. For the moment, he could work on a mech he had worked on and repaired before. It had been less assembled when he'd started with it, the large pieces machined but undamaged; wiring and soldering was easier than stripping and cleaning, but both were satisfactory. "We're going to need capacitors."

"Got them." And then some, most likely, but Treize couldn't be sure. "We were planning on refurbishing this one next so I made sure to check what we might need. It was pretty clear that and the hydraulics, anyway."

"Which you disabled with finesse." That would be fun, reconnecting everything and then troubleshooting where the breaks were or the weakened spots that couldn't take the pressure. "I know the names of the soldiers who died because of me. Because you're right; it's different when you know who's in there." He sat back, a handful of wrecked wires in his fingers, looking at Wufei.

He was looking back at him, head tilted to the side. "I preferred not to know. I had the only name I needed." And it was quite obviously his name. After all, most of Wufei's targets had had some kind of significance to him.

"It kept me from becoming hardened to what we did." The calm self possession of the other pilot, his focus on his task, was admirable. "Where should I be putting the scrap for recovery?"

"There are bins outside of the shop, on the left. Everything's marked appropriately." Wufei looked at him. "I don't know most of the people I killed. And I don't want to. They didn't know my daughter's name or my mother's or anyone else. And I had to make sure that it never happened again."

"Chang Wen died in June of 170 in an Alliance response to the third Hundred Flowers movement. Chang Lian died in 187 on L5 during Vingt Khushrenada's first consolidation." He picked at the heat sealed sheathing that was stuck melted against the wall of the panel; he'd come damn close to a breach from the damage on the left side.

He didn't have to see Wufei to recognize the reaction, a sharp indrawn breath. He hadn't expected him to know that, clearly. "Yes. Yes, that's correct. Why do you... How many names do you know?"

"99,822 before the last battle. I don't know who died on the twenty-fifth." He would ask Vingt, because everything had been disjointed the last few weeks, and he had a feeling Vingt wouldn't give him any information. He hadn't understood it from that first time.

"How do you remember them all?" Wufei moved closer, head tilted to the side as he knelt down beside him, looking at the damage more closely.

"Practice. It isn't as if this all started at once, I've fought and led since 167. Cypress." Tied to years and locations and missions, which made it easier to organize, a timeline of blood spun out behind him in history like a streamer.

He knew the question that was coming next. "In 170. Were you...?"

"Yes." It wasn't easy information to process, he knew. "Every mission I fought, every death tied to an order I gave. That I could find. Children often aren't documented by their governments." He rubbed fingers at the edge of his mouth, leaning back a little to look at Wufei.

That look didn't seem judgmental, didn't have any hardness to it. There was just a sort of sorrow, and he wasn't entirely sure what it meant. "How old were you? In 170, I mean."

"Fifteen." And already elevated in the ranks on the strength of what he'd accomplished at the defense of the Moon base. He leaned back in to pull the circuit board behind the removed wires loose, gentle with it.

With that, Wufei stood, took a deep breath, and walked away.

Treize watched Wufei, and set the damaged circuit board on the cockpit seat before popping the next panel open to resume the process. Perhaps by the end of the day he'd have stripped and cleaned everything; attempting to power it up would be far too ambitious with the first circuit board already in such poor shape.

By the time Wufei came back, he was well into stripping the next section of burned out wires. For a moment, he thought that Wufei might not say anything at all. "I'm sorry. My clan has been protective of their children, more so since 170. I can't imagine what it must have been like to start military maneuvers at thirteen."

He peeled the heat shielding off a couple of the wires absently. It was relaxing, meditative, material worth recovering. "I was grateful for the opportunity to go to the academy. It was a relief to leave home, to have a purpose."

That seemed to bother Wufei, too. "After my father died, my mother was quite protective. She didn't want me out of her sight when I was young, and even once I married she was always there. Fortunately, she got along well with Meiran."

"I'm glad your mother was with you as long as she was." There was nothing else to say to that, nothing from his own experience to share that was worth saying or discussing. He had explained it to Vingt exactly once, when his brother had been in a fit of self recrimination on the fifth anniversary of her death, railing at Treize for not mourning Angelina the way she deserved.

She did not deserve his mourning, only his respect and muddied sadness.

"Me, too." Wufei settled in close by him and began stripping the fucked up wiring out, as well. "You know. We don't intend to treat you badly."

"If you did, I would call it a well deserved comeuppance." It was starting to look like the power had surged up to the control center from the power unit that fed the sword, perhaps. That would be something else to get to repairing.

"No point in it. For one thing, it's only pleasant if all parties concerned think it is," Wufei pointed out. "For another, we've been trying to get someone in with supplies to fix the oxygen generation problem for years now. Suddenly, with you here, it's a possibility." He shrugged.

"The timing of that was annoyingly suspicious," Treize agreed, glancing over at him. In the back of his mind, he was trying to process that other comment -- only if all parties concerned thought it pleasant?

"Suspicious is one way to put it. We'd been muddling through as best we could, but there are maybe thirteen thousand of us. Give or take. Everyone has something to do that goes toward the collective good of the people. It's difficult when you have to choose between vitally necessary projects. I'm sure you know."

"Not in the same way, no. Money was never an object, just time." He checked the seatings in that one, pulled the circuit board out, and sighed. "I can see tomorrow is just going to be soldering."

At that moment, Wufei gave him a smile, and there was something about it that made him perk up and notice it in more ways than one. "Better than spending it trying to learn Mandarin on your own, no?"

"A thousand times better," he agreed, giving Wufei a sly sideways look, letting a thumb brush lightly through carbon powder on a bad blow. "I don't understand the tones."

"Ahh. So you would do better with aural learning, yes?" Wufei asked, beginning to pull at one of the panels close by.

"It might help. Everyone is very graciously using Universal with me or not talking at all, which doesn't help." There were his guards, who would chatter among themselves occasionally, but he didn't have any context.

"Right. Then I'll begin teaching you things now, if you like." The panel came off with just the right twist, and Wufei peered at the mechanisms within before nodding to himself and reaching into a toolbox beside him.

That was possibly the best thing he'd heard since the invitation to join on the work party trip. "How would you say what we're doing now?"

"We're working on the circuits today, so we'll start there."

It was clearly going to be a much better afternoon than he'd had in some time.

* * *

The crick in her neck sometimes felt as if it were permanent. Meiran needed to do something about the cushions on her chair, have them re-stuffed and see if that improved matters. Despite the sore neck, she felt a thrill of anticipation at a few of the decisions she had made that day.

One of which was going to be having the house pet snipped, in anticipation of Wufei's continued success there.

"Mei, we need a better therapist on staff."

That was certainly one way to be greeted by one's husband. Such a shame because he was sweaty. He had clearly been working on something, and she did enjoy the sight of him that way for some reason.

She liked the way the coveralls skimmed his hips and how he wrapped the shirt around his waist as if he'd been very deep into his project. "We need a better therapist on staff? I was going to ask you how today went."

He made a face. "Well enough. He seemed quite happy to have something to do and we talked." She could tell that Wufei still found him attractive, so that was a good sign. "He was there when your parents and my father died." Wufei licked his upper lip. "It wasn't his first battle. That was in 167. He was twelve or thirteen."

"Barbarians. My father forever called them vicious barbarians, and he was right." It was one thing to be forced into battle too young in an act of self defense, another to be shoved out there to attack. "What do you think?"

"I think he'll resist it. I think he'll say it's unnecessary." Wufei scowled. "I think you should contact President Catalonia and get every medical record you can."

Clearly her husband had enjoyed a long, useful morning and afternoon with their new acquisition. She stretched, and finished the last few digital signatures necessary to have her decisions carried out. "Why?"

"Call it a hunch." One hand raised and tugged loose the elastic holding back his hair. "I should cut this." He wouldn't, though. She liked pulling it too much, and he enjoyed that.

"You should leave it loose. You used to." It was enticement to get her to start to end her day, and she knew to respond. "But you've piqued my curiosity. You're paying attention. What else did you pay attention to while you were with your prize?"

The unsettled expression was utterly delightful. "He's memorized the names of all of the people who died through any order or action he's taken. It's preposterous. He remembers all of them. He knew my parents' names." Not Wei-Lin's. That had been their private grief.

Their unexpected, private grief, when everyone had thought she was safe from the battle. She closed her eyes, and turned off the machine, thinking for a moment. "Was it real or manufactured to get a response from you?"

Wufei shrugged. "I don't think so. He seemed genuine. And it's a long way to go to make a false statement like that."

Meiran beckoned him to come up onto the dais with her. "So we have a valuable hostage who can pilot, engineer, work as a mechanic, with a frightening memory, and I've put the order in to have him snipped. And you would like his medical records and a therapist for him."

"Hmm, he won't like that." It was mildly spoken, Wufei raising one eyebrow. "I don't think he's figured it out yet."

She tsked at him. "House pet, Wufei. He's figured it out, he doesn't want to admit it."

Approaching her, he leaned down and kissed her temple. "I should shower."

"You should." She turned her head, though, and inhaled, laying a hand against his side. "And then I will join you in our quarters and you will tell me what you fantasized about."

She did love it when he did, getting all flustered and flushed when he talked about sucking cock, about how he'd like her to watch him get fucked into. Such a pretty pet, he always had been. "Yes, Empress." That was her favorite thing to hear. It warmed her to hear most of all from him, from her proud and defiant husband who disagreed with her often, but never when it was important. She watched him leave the visiting room to go to their quarters.

She was sure that their new guest would be joining them in chambers to do just that within three weeks. Having him taken care of was a matter of optics for her husband's pride among the clan as much as anything else; she hadn't needed to worry about birth control since the attack. Everything had just seemed to stop working. Sometimes she had her blood in, but not often enough to be a useful gauge of anything.

Meanwhile, she would go and have a talk with said guest. Might as well get that particular problem done and dusted. It was next door to their own quarters, anyway, in what had once been Wei-Lin's nursery.

Today had been rather problematic in regards to her hip, so she took her walking stick and began to make her way. It was a shame about her hip, too, because she had been looking forward to being a bit more active with Wufei that evening. But they were creative. She eternally enjoyed their shared creativity.

"Xian Pu." She had been sitting outside the room with a book, looking a little bored but not entirely disengaged.

"Empress. Good afternoon." Her head bowed appropriately, and then she grinned up at her. "He seems to have enjoyed his afternoon fiddling about in shop class." Most of their people had more than one role in keeping the Clan and the colony functioning. Wufei quite literally taught most of their younger mechanics and engineers how to do the necessary engineering tasks with Master O gone.

"That is good news." With a little more breaking in, he could carry some of that burden for Wufei. It was even possible he would be a passable instructor, long term. "I will speak with him."

"Of course, Empress." Xian Pu moved to the door, knocked peremptorily. When no objection was heard, she opened the door and announced, "Empress Liung Meiran."

He was seated on the bed, sketching something that she expected to be a Gundam. It seemed to be a loosely done interpretation of the gardens instead. "Ma'am."

"General." He'd obviously come in and washed before taking up his drawing. "That's quite lovely. Did you enjoy your day?"

"Yes. There's a lot of work to be done on that Gundam, and I'd like the opportunity to continue." He seemed to obviously believe that anything enjoyable would be taken away from him.

"Of course. You have a number of skills that will undoubtedly be of great use to us." Probably more than he thought, in fact, and she tilted her head, smiled. "We're pleased to have you with us."

There was a slight look of anticipation in his eyes, as if he were waiting for her to say something else. Yes, he was more savvy than Wufei believed he was, because the signals were quiet. "You do seem to be."

"Which I hope you will take into account when I tell you a sight medical procedure will be necessary before things commence further." 

"Oh?" He was waiting, but she could see the wheels spinning, could see him very pointedly keeping his eyes on her face.

"You understand, I'm sure." Her eyes trailed over him, then rose to meet his again. "The procedure is reversible, at some later date." If he ever wanted to leave them at all.

"You're not really." He stopped himself, mouth half smirking, half disbelief. "You really are talking about taking me to bed."

Meiran lowered her lashes, peering at him through them. "The Emperor Consort has never had any interest in another person before now. I enjoy giving him what he wants. Among other things."

He exhaled slowly, and he really had lovely blue eyes. "I see. I think." There, it hadn't been half as hard as Wufei had thought it would be, and now it wouldn't be so dependent on her man to make the first move.

"When l saw the video transmission, I could tell. You fought quite well, and I believe it was perhaps because he was so disconcerted by you." Meiran shrugged. "And that was when I thought... why not?"

Why not. If it surprised him that she had thought so far ahead, he didn't say anything. Just nodded, looking thoughtful, looking down at his sketch. "Somehow that makes it... almost more understandable."

"Of course, you have the right to decide that it isn't what you want." That would probably make her quite a bit more determined and she would have to come up with a better plan.

He canted a look up at her, clearly weighing her words. "Wufei is a beautiful and honorable man. And a magnificent fighter."

"Yes. So you can understand why I enjoy spoiling him." She moved forward and pulled a chair into position before seating herself. "And I think you're coming to understand what I mean when I say house pet."

"Yes." Whether he took it well or not, she didn't care. It was a fact, a reality, and he would adjust to it with time. He sat up straighter. "I need a bit of time to adjust to this idea."

"Of course." She paused. "I should say that such an arrangement wouldn't be considered uncommon here. There are perhaps some books that would be more explicit and definitive, but you unfortunately cannot read our language."

"I can't," he admitted candidly. "Though I'm trying." He was trying to do anything other than, sketching and spending a day down in the shop. "That will take more time, ma'am."

"Empress." That was what Wufei called her, and it was what she would expect from their third, as well, if this worked.

"Empress," he agreed, mouth curling ruefully for a moment. "I'm interested to see how this goes."

"As am I. You aren't unattractive." She knew she was smirking, but she couldn't help herself. "But I'm sure you can understand the necessity for the procedure as such."

"Yes. It reflects better on you both to do so." His facial expression was hard to read, though she didn't think it was one of protest. "Hasn't really been high on my to do list."

One brow rose sharply. "Reproduction or doing something about your ability to do so?"

"Reproducing, accidentally or otherwise." He shook his head slightly, setting the notebook he was using aside, giving her his full attention. "I'll need to know what is and isn't acceptable."

"Once you've had time to consider the matter, we'll discuss things more in depth. For now, I'm afraid I have other matters to which I must attend." She rose carefully, using her walking stick. 

"Thank you for your time, Empress." She hoped he would be a quick learner, because there was a sharpness in his eyes that surpassed what she'd been able to see on the video.

It was no wonder her husband had reacted so automatically. "Have a good evening, General."

"Thank you." Yes, he would be a quick study, she decided as she left. There was no reason to move things along any faster as she was enjoying working Wufei up to a feverish frenzy in his imagination, and it would give the General time to think.

It was always good to have a plan.

* * *

He was well done with the shower by the time Meiran finished with her work, and rejoined him. Dinner had been brought in but hadn't started to cool. The time he'd taken to shower had been worth it for the wicked smile on her face. "Where were we?"

"About to eat dinner." Or maybe something else, but it was fun to tease her with a straight face.

"Were we?" He lowered her eyelashes at him, as she moved to sit down across from him, cane in hand. "I seem to recall we were having a conversation about your afternoon."

"It was enlightening," he told her. "He'll resist therapy. He might well resist us." Out of pure orneriness, possibly. It made Wufei a little disgusted with himself that he found it so charming.

"I do not believe he will resist us." She settled in, and allowed him to start serving them both. "You are probably right about therapy. Perhaps we leave him alone with his madness?"

Wufei hesitated, brows drawing together. "Avoidance never solves anything." They'd tried to avoid one another when they'd found out they were betrothed. It had made Meiran angry and Wufei grumpy, and so they had ended that after only a few weeks.

"Is it avoidance or is it constant confrontation?" She poked at her rice with chopsticks. Part of the joy of Meiran was that she was always willing to disagree with him whether she was feeling imperial or not. "If he really has memorized thousands of deaths."

"It certainly can't be healthy." Not by a long shot, Wufei was certain. "If I thought about it every day like that, I'd be useless to you or anyone else."

"Yet he led a war effort against..." Everyone, in the end. Absolutely everyone. The Earth forces first, then the colonies, then White Fang. She gestured to the room around them in a vague way, reiterating what he was thinking. "And has left the effort a mythical hero. Was he useless in the shop today?" No, and she knew he hadn't been.

Still, Wufei couldn't help scowling about it. "You know he wasn't. But it needs addressing, don't you think?"

She shrugged slightly, delicately taking a bite of a dumpling. "It could be very unpleasant for him. Perhaps we make sure he is settled and happy before picking at old scars and seeing what lies beneath. He _has_ just been re-homed."

He sighed. "Can we at least be prepared?" Ignoring something didn't make it go away. Still, they could at least start looking for someone, or plan to send someone already in a similar field to school. That was probably the better idea.

Meiran tsked quietly, and lifted her cup for him to pour tea into it. "You're terribly fond of him already, Wufei. Yes. Yes, we should."

"You know how I am." He rarely got attached to new people, but when he did, he took to them quite wholeheartedly. The fact that he found Treize Khushrenada attractive in a sexual manner had certainly thrown him for a loop. "I'll speak with Ko Lon." She was Xian Pu's elderly great-grandmother and she'd been in charge of their medical services for a long time. She would know who might be best to send.

"And you will be alert for signs that it's necessary to intervene," she agreed, sipping her tea. There was a delighted curve to her painted lips. "And in the meantime, we will enjoy him."

Just thinking about it was enough to make Wufei widen his knees. "He's in his element working on the mobile suits." Just watching his forearm had made Wufei break a sweat at one point. There had been the fine gingery hair, and the flex of the muscles, the patient application of strength and care not to damage the materials more than the battle had done. He had no deep awareness of personal space when he'd been focused on the cockpit work, and the smell of him, close and a little sweaty from the enclosed space and effort had made Wufei hard.

"It's a shame I didn't have the time today to watch."

"It is," he agreed, popping a bite of chicken into his mouth. "Watching him work so effortlessly with that much metal is gratifying."

"What were you thinking of having him do, while you watched?" She asked the question carefully, observing him with assessing eyes.

That wasn't hard to consider. "Him having me against a wall. He's got the strength for it, I think." God, did he. 

"How would that go?" She was probing, working her way slowly to having him spell out things he had only thought about and didn't often give voice to.

He hated it a little but he also loved it a lot. Wufei shrugged. "Hard not to think about how it would be to be working on something and get crowded into the back office, half stripped, and told to stay where he put me." Yes, because bondage was actually less fun than obeying because he was told to stay put. Meiran knew that, though.

Meiran didn't have to use restraints to make him do what she wanted. She was smiling at him, clearly imagining this in her head. "Folded over that terribly messy desk of yours?"

"Or just standing there, hands braced against the wall." Hips pushed back, ass out, waiting. He thought he liked that better. "And then he just..."

"Presses into you and pins you to the wall. It would have to be slow," she teased, finishing her meal. "A long slow fuck, while you wonder who might walk by looking to talk to you?"

His face was hot, whether from the fantasy or saying it aloud. "Mhm. Yes. Slow because there's not a lot of prep and everything is sharp and bright the way it gets when something so good hurts."

"It's going to feel very different from the toys." She shifted her position on the cushions, smiling at him with a gleam in her eyes as she resumed sipping her tea. "Heavier. You always feel _more."_

"Tell me." Meiran wasn't the only one who liked to hear about it, though Meiran never seemed to get the same degree of flustered about it as he did.

"Mmm. That's why I like the harness. You get some of that feeling, of a body against your ass, your back, of a thigh against yours. But your dick is always better than a toy. I like your hips against mine, the way you make me ache. A toy doesn't feel anything like a shuddering man giving up his orgasm."

Ugh. He just... he'd never wanted to do that with anyone except Meiran. Treize had been a surprise in many ways. "Now I'm going to be hard all through dinner."

"Dinner can be short." She presented him again with her teacup. "Or perhaps you want to sit hard and be made to wait."

She was terrible and she knew him far too well. He poured her tea before sighing and giving the only answer he had. "Yes, Empress."

* * *

Meow meow was right. 

Zechs had joked that during a meeting Treize had once suggested a maneuver of such unthinkable creativity and danger that he'd felt his own brain gently disconnect from the moment, and that all he could hear was the theme music to the 180s _Jeopardy_ reboot.

Treize felt a bit like that himself just then as the Empress was suggesting having her new house pet essentially neutered.

It wasn't the first time someone had fallen for him at first sight; it was, however, the first time someone's wife had made the approach for them, and that was unique. He had a feeling that there were a great many things about the Liung Clan from L5 that no one knew or understood. Just at a guess. Things that weren't written up well in the documents he had been reading. Or perhaps it was simply a fluke when the empress had suggested that he had won the duel because Wufei had been so stunned by him. It was ridiculous. Preposterous. There was no way that was actually true. They'd spent a whole afternoon together, and yes, there had been tension in the air, but surely not what the Empress seemed to think.

Or was it?

Perhaps he was poor at reading slight signals. It hadn't been his focus, hadn't been anything he'd been expecting; his focus had been on the machine that had been salvaged and learning words with Wufei until things started to make some small amount of sense. 

And while he had been enjoying the other pilot's company, the Empress had been plotting him fucking her husband.

He couldn't decide whether to be pissed off or... well, pissed off. Flattered? He had no idea, and from the sound of things his neighbors who clearly enjoyed sex were at it again.

They were regular, almost every night. He sighed, and set the notebooks and pen aside. The soundproofing wasn't the best, but he supposed people adjusted to that. Perhaps it was just part of life on L5. Days were spent keeping the colony running and nights were spent getting laid.

He missed getting laid.

He missed quite a lot of things, but there was nothing to do about it. There were, of course, conventions that one expected would be followed when one was a political prisoner, but anything short of death could probably happen with few repercussions, if any. 

And he did keep waiting for that anything short of death moment, though sex slave probably was on the list of violations somewhere. It was certainly on the list of grievances that there was no point in lodging with his brother about the situation because nothing could be done about it as long as everyone wanted the peace to hold.

There was also the fact that he was well known for his loose morals and high appetite, so he was sure that there would be quite a lot said about that, as well. Probably to his detriment. He laid there on his bed thinking that one over a little bitterly for a moment. His exploits had been so well known that it was clearly just expected that he'd want it. Whether he did or not, and yes, Wufei was gorgeous and interesting, but _vasectomy_.

He felt a little bitter thinking about it. It was entirely possible that he would have wanted to fuck him into the nearest flat surface in any other situation. This one, though. He could say no. It had been offered as an option, and the Empress didn't seem as if it would make her angry. Then again, she was the Empress. And the last time he'd checked, royalty tended to get what they wanted.

Which left him three options, perhaps two in reality. Resist, say no, and either it would be respected or not and it would take his situation out of some strange (very strange) gray area into something that was more clearly in violation of any sane prisoner of war exchange. Or cooperate and find himself a sex slave in everything but name, although he wasn't sure how close house pet came to that.

He needed to know more about their culture and general sexual history. That would probably help him figure out what house pet meant to them, which would be of extraordinary good use. His neighbors were still enjoying themselves. Perhaps he could ask them, since they seemed to enjoy a delightfully frequent sex life. If only he knew who they were.

Worst case, he was going to have to ask one of his guards, who seemed deeply amused enough by the situation to leave him unwilling to relax around them.

Not Xian Pu, though. He had a feeling that would get straight back to her empress faster than he could blink. 

Frustrated, he laid back and sprawled over his bed, one arm over his face. Tonight seemed to be a marathon, because he could still hear them, and he couldn't say that it wasn't a turn on.

Which led him back to the circle of thought he had been caught in earlier because clearly he was a slut who was fine with everything. But the woman had a nice soft breathy moan, a little louder than her partner. And they were knocking the hell out of the wall. He slipped his sleep pants down and put his hand on his cock, stroking slow and gentle just because he could. It felt good, felt better since he had his own personal porn soundtrack to aid him along. They sounded like they enjoyed themselves, and that made everything a great deal easier.

Two completely consenting adults not under duress. He closed his eyes, and shifted, spreading his legs a little, just feeling himself, listening and relaxing. He could imagine what they were doing, the way the woman's legs would be wrapped around his hips, her hands drawing him in and holding him tight, the way the man's ass would dimple as he thrust into her. He imagined what it would be like to move in behind him, hands on those thighs and pushing them apart so that he could get closer and start touching the way he wanted.

He liked to stroke the curve of a man's ass, to bite at his neck and shoulders, to push at him, to palm his dick, which would be harder with the woman there, but not impossible. Not even close, because he'd certainly done it before. More than once, and he thought about sliding slick fingers down and in, about how good it would feel to tease at him, to overload him with sensation, to sink into him, listen to him sob with the overwhelming sense of fucking and being fucked simultaneously. Treize arched his hips up against his own hand, getting more comfortable, eyes still closed as he twisted his grip gently, squeezing. He could imagine how that ass would feel, so tight and hot around him while he thrust. His partner would be caught between them, suspended between a proverbial rock and a hard place. He could hear the man getting louder next door, and fuck. Yes, that was good, that was fantastic, that was just what he needed. The freedom to move and feel and just let his brain go blank because he was close and the neighbors sounded hot and he wanted. He wanted, needed, the thrust and slide of human contact. Needed affection and love, needed to be held, and he imagined how good it would feel to come inside, and that was enough.

By the time he managed to re-engage his brain, his neighbors were also finishing from the sound of things.

They were easing up, and the sounds were quieter, softer, talking. He let his hand rest on his stomach, and just enjoyed being sated for a moment, mind blissfully blank. 

What he wanted and what he would get would always be two different things.

* * *

Treize was quiet.

It was honestly disconcerting, at least for Wufei. They had gotten accustomed to talking while they worked, mostly teaching him Mandarin and discussing what they were working on currently. This quiet was unusual, and Wufei didn't like it.

He was sitting cross legged while repairing the connections to the screen controls in preparation for the cockpit controls being reunited with the upper half of the chest. It wasn't as if he weren't working, he seemed as diligent and interested in it as ever. He was just... quiet.

And Wufei didn't like it.

Meiran had said that he'd agreed, but that wasn't the silence of a man who'd made that choice willingly. He had no idea how to broach the subject, though. It was beyond his ability to do so. It wasn't something he ever needed or thought he would need to discuss. There wasn't a place in his head to practice a conversation that he could not even fathom starting. Any of it. 

So they had spent the morning working in silence, and the longer it went the worse Wufei found himself feeling. Which was ridiculous.

Finally, he couldn't bear it anymore. "You're allowed to tell her no. You're allowed to say that you don't want something. You're allowed to tell me that... that something is unacceptable or unwanted."

Treize stopped checking cables, and didn't quite look at him. "In which universe, I wonder?"

Oh, that was. "You're allowed to tell me no. And to ask questions. And..." Wufei swallowed. "To yell if you think it would help." It was his fault. He should have explained things better before.. well.

It was a little late to do it now, he had to admit, because Meiran's idea of someone agreeing to an action was perhaps not what someone less imperious would consider agreement. Something about what he said made Treize chuckle. "Why? I have no recourse. It doesn't matter."

Reaching up, Wufei tugged at the elastic holding back his hair and let it loose, the sweaty strands making him want to shove his head under the nearest running tap. "Just say no. Say it to me if you want. I'll handle her." And if she had ever heard him say any such thing, she'd have had Words. A lot of them. None good.

He was fairly sure he could back none of it up with action, not really, but he could sometimes talk her around if she hadn't already dug in her heels. "It almost sounds like you're implying we're in this together. We're not. This is your home. You won."

Wufei's brow furrowed. "Come to my office. We should talk."

He pinched the bridge of his nose hard as if that would help somehow, and then stood up once he'd set his tools aside. "All right. I haven't heard that since I was a cadet."

Fuck. It was all too little too late and Wufei was panicking inside. "It's just, I, I thought. I shouldn't have assumed that you understood."

"I don't understand." He gestured with one hand to Wufei's office so Wufei could lead the way.

His desk was the usual mess -- lesson plans and schematics and parts for retooling. There was a reason the fantasy had been against the wall and not over the desk. He pushed one of the two chairs to the side and sat in the other one instead of his office chair. 

Treize remained standing, but did close the door behind him, waiting; his posture was still for all the world that of an imposing General, one who was accustomed to running the show. It was almost intimidating.

"You have questions. Meiran sometimes thinks people are agreeing with her when they don't want to tell her no. We have... I'm fairly certain that we have different relations than people on Earth." Wufei felt weird and stiff saying it.

He just didn't know where or what to start with. And Treize was looking at him with an expression of complete confusion. "It seems your wife went to the trouble of acquiring me in the Accords, in part, so the two of you could have a new sex toy. Pet? Pet perhaps, since I've been neutered now as well."

Fuck.

Fuck, he should have talked to Treize himself, and his shoulders hunched in, face hot with humiliation. "I don't. I. There's." He paused and pulled himself together. "There's only been Meiran. It's, here, we're more.. open? Open. To blended families, to three parents or even more. It's just understood. Everything is consensual and yes means yes. No means no." He took a breath. "I've always been content with two of us. I never thought..." That any of that would change. That there would be Treize, a strangely immediate attraction like he'd never felt before. "I didn't mean for you to be unhappy."

Treize looked as if he might as well have slapped him, expression tense. He finally sat down, moving just a fraction extra carefully. He was silent, looking at Wufei like he was gauging him, sizing him up. "I don't think a world exists where yes always means yes and no is respected."

"It does in our world." Wufei looked up at him. "Anything else would be dishonorable, and forcing someone is..." Utterly wrong and a high crime.

He had his hands on the arms of the chair and turned the left one over, a thoughtful tilt to his head as if he was working through what he was going to say. "Commonplace on Earth and the other colonies. Part of the background noise of life. Yes is an easy answer to give when you know no isn't an option. Then it almost feels like you have control."

Wufei nodded, molasses slow. "You're allowed to say no," he told Treize again. "I didn't know that you didn't know. She's the Empress, so approaches would be made by her. Not by me, even if she's making overtures on my behalf."

He tipped his head back, looking at the ceiling of Wufei's office for a moment as if it might have an answer that he was looking for. "I'm a _prisoner_."

"She only asked for you for me. I'm sorry." And he was, he absolutely was, especially since Treize hadn't seemed to understand no was acceptable. He swallowed hard and tilted his face downward because his eyes felt hot and wet and a knot of guilt had taken up place at the core of him. It had seemed like a suitable solution. He had spared the man's life. He'd been going to throw it away, use Wufei to do it, and... And now he was alive. Why did it matter so much that he was a prisoner when he would have been a corpse?

"You should be vengeful."

What?

Wufei's head jerked up, brows drawn together. "Why?"

"The field we pass every morning." He was watching Wufei, picking up something off of his face. Meiran watched people that way, too.

"I got revenge for that, and it didn't make me feel any better." In fact, it had just made him feel worse in the long run. Guilty. "I don't need that. We both went to war. We survived. I would like to think that now we should find a new state of being."

Treize slowly exhaled a breath, like he was controlling something. "You're right. I don't understand."

Wufei nodded. "I'll answer any questions you have. You know we can't let you go, but you can live peacefully here. I won't bother you."

It left the other man quiet again, which was still oddly nerve wracking. "OZ has been dissolved, and I have nothing to go back to. I signed everything over to Vingt decades ago."

"You planned to die. I know." And he had. He absolutely had.

There was something miserable to the way the man's mouth pulled to one side before he talked, control slipping just a little in a way that made Wufei decide that he really did need therapy, never mind that Meiran said it was fine. "I don't know what to do. It doesn't matter."

"It does matter. You matter." Wufei clasped his hands between his knees. "And even if we cannot be partners, I would still very much like to be your friend."

That got him a look that was almost a smile, instead of something more sardonic. "You're gorgeous. Your wife is gorgeous. But I am not a plaything."

Ashamed, Wufei looked away, nodding. "Yes. I understand."

"Come here." 

He hadn't quite, was that what Treize had said, or? When Wufei looked at him again, he was still watching Wufei with a steady expression.

"Come there?" he asked, uncertain.

"Come here," Treize repeated, slowly. He held one hand out to Wufei, not moving from the chair.

Right. Come there, and Wufei rose, taking the step between his chair and Treize's, mouth parted, waiting. Treize took his hand as he got close, and it was an odd gesture, a gentle tug to pull him in closer, other hand resting against his side while he leaned in and up to kiss those parted lips.

That wasn't what he'd been expecting. He'd thought there might be a slap or, or something else. He didn't know what, and it took him a moment to respond. He hadn't kissed anyone but Meiran in a very long time, and this was worlds apart from that. He took control in a different way than she did, and it made his knees just a bit wobbly.

His mouth was warm and bigger than Wufei was accustomed to, hand on his side unyielding as he pulled Wufei down into the chair with him, and Wufei went.

This was very confusing.

When their mouths parted, Wufei gasped and blinked at him. "I don't understand."

He could feel the thumb lingering through his clothes at his waist, Treize stretching his fingers and clutching at Wufei's side comfortably. "Good. I hate being the only one."

"I thought you were saying no." But there was that thumb, that caress of fingers.

"I wanted to see if it was plausible." He leaned in again, mouth close to Wufei's, and then kissed him, lips parted, a suggestion of tongue as he pulled him in closer. It made Wufei's knee slide in, and he felt Treize grimace and then press on.

"Sorry, sorry," he whispered against that mouth, and he felt a hand come up and thread its way into his hair. When Treize pulled, Wufei gasped sharply and melted.

There was a sort of satisfied sound against his lips, and Treize broke the kiss slowly, lips close to Wufei's still before he shifted to press biting kisses along the line of his jaw, fingers firm against his scalp. "Lovely."

Wufei loved that, loved nipping kisses along his throat. He dropped his head back, opening it up more, and felt when Treize's mouth found his collar.

One hand in his hair, and the one that had grasped his hand had moved to try to find skin between his undershirt and his coveralls while Treize kissed at the metal links, above them, around them, interested. "Does it unlock?

He shook his head. "Why should it? I could ask for it off if I wanted." He didn't, though. It was part of being Emperor Consort for him, and it was understood by his people.

"Curious." One more thing the man didn't understand, as he kept Wufei's neck tilted back just so, sucking and kissing on a line of muscle. It made him shiver and moan, just a little, low and barely heard. God, that was something he had wanted, just that brush of lips, the suck that ached just a bit and made _him_ ache in response to it.

"Y-you shouldn't, you, it's too soon for you to...."

"I don't mind the pain." He scraped his teeth against Wufei's skin, mouth just that side of gentle.

Oh, fuck, that was... that was so hot, and he let his hands rest on Treize's upper arm, panting out a breath and shuddering. "I, I, I'm very confused, and this is so good."

Treize kissed the spot he had just scraped with his teeth. "I would call that agreement, then."

Agreement to what, Wufei couldn't even guess, and he tipped his head, opened his eyes, and looked at Treize. "Hm?"

"This is good and I'm confused." Treize pulled back a little, looking him in the eye, one hand idling down his back a little.

Wufei could feel his brow furrow. "Is there anything I can do to make you less confused?"

"I don't know." He was almost smiling at Wufei when he leaned in again to kiss him, softer that time, and Wufei was surprised when he followed it up with a kiss to the tip of his nose.

"You should take time," he said finally. "To figure out what you want to do. You should."

He exhaled, and Wufei felt as if he were being surveyed as he knelt over the man's lap. "I don't know what I could do. I don't know."

Nodding his head, Wufei settled. His knees were aching slightly. "You don't have to say yes. It isn't your... your culture? Your want."

"Which part? House pets, threesomes, or having wants?" He pulled at Wufei's hip, goading him to sit on his lap rather than kneel, a firm guiding that Wufei liked very much.

His shoulders rose in a shrug as he settled himself on Treize's thighs. "All of it?"

"Threesomes I understand." That somehow didn't surprise him, though he wasn't sure that the man's understanding of it was anything like his people's understanding of it.

Wufei nodded. "We frequently have three and four partners here. Children are raised together, a bit... communally, I suppose?" He shook his head. "Some people are open to many different partners. I've always been what my mother called choosy."

Which he supposed was the opposite of how he ended up on the lap of their political prisoner. "I've always been what my brother called a bit of a shameless whore."

That was quite funny, and Wufei clapped his hand over his mouth when he let out a laugh. "I'm sorry, that was impolite."

"It's true, and it's funny. He always looked so disappointed, running around as the morality police. But I mostly like it. Even when I didn't like it, I liked it. I have a high sex drive." Perhaps that was why he'd taken to running circuits of the imperial compound in the morning. It would explain a lot.

"Yes," Wufei agreed. "But there was always just Meiran. No one else... clicked? Clicked. And then there was you." He frowned. "Usually I have to know someone for a while before they're attractive to me as a person. You were... an aberration."

"Not the first time I've heard that." There was a wry note to his voice; while he talked, he pulled at Wufei's tank enough to slide his hand up between cloth and skin, fingers on his bare mid back. "It's all right if you decide you don't like me as a person as you get to know me."

"No, that's the thing. You're..." Wufei shrugged helplessly. "I quite enjoy your company. It's making you even more attractive. That's only happened once. And Meiran has refrained from inviting anyone else into our marriage because she knew that I wouldn't like them as much as I should. We've made a mess of it because we've never done it before."

"You went all out when you decided to do it, though." The band on his back was warm, a weird counterpoint to the vitriol that he half expected to go with the words but that wasn't there at all. "Help me understand."

Licking his lips, he leaned in and pressed his forehead to Treize's. "We want you as our third. In bed, yes, but also..." Those eyes were so close that his were nearly crossed to look into them. "You're intelligent and sneaky. It's attractive and also quite useful."

The man made a hum, possibly agreement, and Wufei felt the hand on his back stroke, sliding faintly lower. "As an unexpected benefit, then."

"Yes." Breathless but honest, and oh, Meiran would probably be utterly disappointed if they went very far in his office.

"I need probably a week. Before I'm functioning again." And that was perhaps optimistic, but it wasn't at all where he'd thought the conversation had been going from the start. It felt a little like whiplash.

"Are you sure? You were... quite displeased. I had expected you to ask to move to the other side of the ring."

"I'm not sure at all." And yet he was sitting on the man's lap and they were close enough to kiss. "But I would like to try, see how it is."

What was there to do but kiss him? Sweet, lips brushing lips just barely, and obviously this was the tack they should have taken instead of letting Meiran make the offer as was expected from the Empress.

It wasn't unsalvageable, though, and that was a relief as he felt the man kiss him back just as softly, relaxing a little. It didn't have to be a performance, though performances were nice. It just wasn't sustainable full time. 

There was a knock on the door.

Wufei sighed. "They probably actually need something." He would like to tell them to go away and that was his prerogative as Emperor Consort, but he was also their chief engineer and teacher.

Treize dropped his hand, letting Wufei stand up without interfering. "I will let you deal with that, regrettably."

"Would you like to have dinner with us?" Perhaps he would, and that might lead things in the right direction. He could only hope.

"Yes." He has taken all of his meals in solitude except lunch there in the shops, and the General didn't hesitate in saying yes. Or thinking about his answer. "Yes, I would."

Wufei allowed a smile to sneak over his face. "I'll make sure they have your favorites, then. Or whatever you've liked best since you came here, in any case." Another knock sounded, annoyingly.

"Sir, an entourage from L4 has reached out requesting permission to land in the next four hours. They have urgent business and the Empress requests you."

He truly hated politics. "I'll be there shortly." In time to get a shower and dress appropriately. He looked at Treize. "Are you comfortable leading things until I return or until day's end?" Best to start as they should be going forward.

"Yes." He stood up, trying not to obviously adjust himself. "It won't be any problem." Wufei didn't think it would be, and it was another step toward creating something that might work in the long term between them.

Quickly, Wufei stepped forward and leaned up, stealing a last kiss. "Tonight, then."

He couldn't quite make sense of everything that had passed but it was progress, and it was better than deep silence. The messenger stepped away and Wufei started the trip back to the imperial palace, secure in the knowledge that his office probably wouldn't be burned down in his absence.

* * *

He took his time putting on what he assumed were supposed to be formalwear, for the perhaps most normal thing he had indulged in since going there. 

Dinner seemed like a step toward... something. Understanding. The discussion in Wufei's office had helped, in a way.

When he thought he was sufficiently dressed, he stepped to the door and opened it. On the other side, Xian Pu looked at him critically. "Do you want to embarrass Empress and Emperor Consort or do you just not know better?"

The black suit had embroidered cuffs, collar and shoulders, and felt almost acceptably normal, so her response took him off guard. "What?"

She sighed and shook her head. "Back inside. In, in. We will get you dressed appropriately."

He took a step backward, letting her in. "I don't understand. I thought this was just dinner."

"You are now part of the Imperial household, no?" Xian Pu eyed him critically. "Meow meow, but still part. Undress, I will find appropriate clothing."

Meow meow, fuck. "I'm not undressing for your amusement, meow meow or not." He said it much calmer than she deserved as he stepped back to his desk.

"Pffft. I have two at home just like you. Well. Not _just_ like you, but is nothing I have not seen before. Undress," she told him again, marching to his closet and beginning to shift things right to left.

He started to unbutton the jacket, wary and watching her pull out robes that simply -- well, he had seen what people at the fringes of the Empress' court wore, but it seemed inappropriate for the outsider to dress up as something he wasn't. He'd always hated his brother's tendency to throw on the traditional costume of wherever he was visiting like he didn't look like an out of place idiot. At least by wearing his uniform, Treize didn't feel like he was lying about being friendly to anyone they were repressing.

"Strip faster," she sighed when she began laying out the pieces. "Schedule to keep, meow meow."

"Christ." He stripped down, glad to leave his tight underwear on to try to keep everything where it belonged after the surgery that he wasn't going to think about just then.

Xian Pu handed him a pair of linen pants first and then began removing a top from its hangar. "Those first, come come."

He stepped into them, eyeing the top and everything else she had laid out. It was going to be awkward and terrible and he'd never be able to give Vingt side eye about it, which was a damn shame

Xian Pu held up the top imperiously. "Right arm first, then left. I will tie."

"This seems like a bit much for dinner." He did as he was instructed, though, and held still as she expertly wrapped it around him and tied it off.

"Meow meow, you are part of the Imperial household now. Are you still meow meow? Yes. And yet, part of the Imperial household and therefore to be dressed appropriately when diplomats are present." She rolled her eyes and then picked up the next piece. "Arms up."

"Wait, diplomats are present? The L4 delegation?" Fuck, that wasn't what he'd hoped it would be; it wasn't the place to try to work through what was being suggested by Wufei, that was a completely different headspace.

The look she gave him was sly. "Yes, unfortunately, plans have changed since the arrival of delegates. Most unfortunate."

He had his arms up while she wrapped him in what seemed to be a skirt of some kind; he was paying enough attention that he thought he could repeat the process himself when it was next called for. "Most unfortunate, yes." Damn.

"Which is why your dress must be changed. Other clothing? Perfect for dinner with Empress and consort. For delegates, you must appear formal, not sexy," she informed him, quickly tying it off around his waist. "Turn, right arm out."

Somewhat more complicated, but no more baffling in reality than the hidden panels and inner buttons of his old uniform vest and jacket. Though he did miss the flat hidden pockets for tucking notes, papers or a damn datapad in, but he was managing with the pile of notebooks and pens that had been left for him.

In a trice, she had him in the outer robe, turning it this way and then wrapping it just so, adding a sash last. She nodded as if pleased with herself. "White socks are good, shoes are good," she informed him. "You are quite pleasing to the idea. No, not the right phrase. To the eye? Yes. Come come, meow meow." She clapped her hands together and marched toward the door.

There was nothing to do but follow her and her unholy delight at calling him a house pet. And now there was a diplomatic delegation there from L4 -- probably to try to cut a deal with the Empress, as they were the only two colony clusters that were in permanently stable orbit. He started to try to remember what had last been in reports on L4.

"Now," Xian Pu told him as they marched through a wide hall that he only vaguely recalled seeing when he'd arrived. "I will be in the room. If you have questions, you look at me, and I will assist you. Yes?"

"I assume my role is to shut up and listen?" It seemed about right given the tenor of everything else. Meow meow, after all.

She shrugged and paused, straightening her own clothing and notching up her chin. "Take cues from Emperor Consort."

That he could do.

He took her change of posture as a sign, and settled into familiar military bearing as she opened the doors to what turned out to be a clearly formal space, already occupied.

It was always good to be late. It gave one the opportunity to come in when everyone was settled and it was, generally speaking, a position of power. Whatever that meant for him now.

She led him to sit beside Wufei, crossing behind the L4 delegation. The empress, to Wufei's other side and dead center of the table, looked radiant, bedecked in a sparkling headdress and deeply detailed robes.

Damn he was going to have to work out what they were called.

The kneeling position they were in seemed comfortable for them, and looked like torture to him. Still, he preferred to be appropriate and so he settled upon the pillow beside Wufei, turning to see the delegation.

And oh, dear god.

It was the Winner heir.

Consequences, Vingt had liked to say, were what one reaped when one slept their way through diplomatic coups, whether he was good to them in bed or not, and Treize had planned to be good to everyone he slept with. It was enjoyable to have a partner enjoy what he was doing, to leave them with hopefully no regrets except that it was a one time thing.

And as the military lead, it didn't bother him to see people again at an event years later, to catch up lightly, to smile and be warm, it all cost him nothing. It would still cost him nothing, so he relaxed his back, and looked sideways at the man who had been on his lap that afternoon rather than the one who'd been on his lap for a slow and luxurious fuck on a balcony some hours prior to his arrest, four years before.

Meiran slid her eyes to the left to see him and then moved them back to the Winner heir. "As you can see, he is in perfect condition."

So clearly they had been talking about him in his absence. He inclined his head in greeting to Quatre, and wondered why Wufei was sitting stiff beside him, but he'd apparently missed the highlights already.

"I didn't doubt that was true." Quatre's smile was gentle and hid the absolute will of iron that Treize knew was beneath it. "But Irina was concerned for a number of reasons." One of them possibly being that she didn't think his sins had been properly punished, the largest of them being the fact that he had slept with her brother.

Wufei's chin notched upward. "And you? Were you concerned?"

It was funny, they sounded like they were familiar with each other, outside of diplomatic relations. "Some, yes. The General was often a diplomatic guest when he was a lower ranked officer."

That answer quite obviously wasn't what Wufei wanted to hear, although perhaps it was only obvious to Treize since Wufei was seated beside him and his spine seemed to tense almost as if he had wanted to respond with an immediate scathing reply.

"Then you should worry no longer," Meiran advised. "As you can see. General Khushrenada is assisting us as we make necessary repairs and rebuild portions of the colony."

"That's excellent," he smiled, looking at all of them. "I wanted to speak with you tonight, Empress, to suggest an Alliance."

Meiran peered across at him. "Of course. First, we should invite you to refresh yourself if necessary. Dinner will be served in an hour." One hand rose and motioned to Xian Pu. "Please see that they have the appropriate diplomatic quarters." And likely some sort of guard, as well, considering.

He was trying to stay balanced on his knees appropriately, and had no idea what was going on, now, what he'd walked in on, except that sitting silently was a wise idea. 

"Thank you, Empress." Quatre was all easy smiles as he stood up. "I look forward to continuing negotiations with you, and perhaps to catching up with the Emperor Consort?"

"Perhaps," Meiran agreed, and Treize could only imagine that the true answer was _absolutely not under any circumstances considering what you just said_.

Xian Pu stepped forward. "Please come with me, if you will."

There were assorted diplomats with him and they all rose. Everyone was well behaved and filed out after Xian Pu, leaving the Empress, Wufei, and the other courtiers in the room.

Wufei hissed through his teeth when they left, brows sharply knitted together, angry. "I cannot believe he'd actually think we would harm someone."

“Did you know him?" Treize asked, looking sideways at Wufei, keeping himself still. It was a little hard to blend into the background sitting out there like that.

Wufei turned his head, blinked. "Yes." And with that answer, Treize absolutely knew that Quatre had been the pilot from L4.

"I didn't know." That, that took him aback, and he held Wufei's gaze, trying not to let his surprise be seen. "04, then."

That earned him a nod, the rest of the room beginning to talk quietly around them. "Yes. Yes, he was, and he actually seemed to expect that we'd done something horrible to you." Which quite clearly offended Wufei to no end.

"What did he think you'd done?" That was interesting; because sort of, yes, they had, and he hadn't had time to process what had happened earlier, but he had enjoyed it a great deal.

"Murdered you and shoved you out of an airlock? Well. That's what his sister thinks. Quatre was more worried about you having been shoved in a dungeon."

"Wufei," Meiran said, reaching out and putting her hand on his wrist.

"It only reflects on what they know they're capable of themselves," Treize offered, turning just a little to Wufei. "I did spend time in their jail."

"For what, precisely?" Meiran asked, and she seemed to be honestly curious about it.

Wufei grumbled. "Probably for sleeping with Quatre." And how he guessed that was beyond Treize's ken.

"I suspect it was for crushing Zayeed's hopes and dreams that his son was entirely straight." But he was right. Pilot 04, that wasn't surprising somehow; otherwise they would have had to go outside the Winner family to find someone with the backbone. Much easier simply to recruit from within.

"I don't think his father approved, necessarily. Of the piloting thing, I mean, obviously not the other." Wufei sighed and turned to Meiran. "How is this going to go, Empress?"

"We see what they have to offer, and we discuss if it's worthy of our people's time." She had a keen look to her eye that softened a little when she looked at Wufei. "You will not be spending time with their pilot."

"Yes, Empress." The way his head dipped, eyes closing, certainly said quite a lot to Treize. It was fascinating to see him so easily acquiesce to her. He could only imagine what it would be like in bed.

He was going to think about it in bed that night, even if the thought of jerking off just then made him cringe a little. "His words were rude."

"Yes," Meiran agreed. "Unfitting. We made agreements regarding the good general, and we will keep them."

"Very vague, minimal agreements," Treize said a little daringly. "I can see where he was concerned, but one doesn't usually lodge accusations like that unless you have intelligence to the contrary."

Meiran looked at him and tipped her head lightly, careful due to the jeweled headdress. "Ah? It was in fact a dare in and of itself. "Should we be censoring your outgoing letters, then?"

He lifted an eyebrow at her. "No, I was thinking you have a mole because I haven't had the headspace to think of what to say about that or if bringing it up serves any point at all." Other than making Vingt miserable, which none of them needed outside help to do.

She seemed extraordinarily pleased with that answer and she nodded. "Yes. We must." She glanced at Wufei, who still looked grumpy, and then passed her gaze over everyone present. "And I would like to know precisely who that person might be."

The chill in the room told him she was going to get an answer, while Treize tried not to squirm on his knees. There had to be a way to see just what had set Wufei off.

One of the old women cleared her voice. "Empress." She was tiny, a woman with white hair and a deeply wrinkled face.

"Ko Lon," Meiran said, and indicated that her permission to speak was granted.

"We had the strangers repair the satellite and a number of other areas. We did, of course, observe them, but it is quite possible that they left behind some sort of devices."

It was a solution, an obvious one. Now they would just have to find them; maybe in Wufei's workshop, or there in the receiving room. He didn't think any had gotten into his quarters.

Meiran nodded. "I will entrust that task with you. Now, let us discuss what we might be willing to offer L4 diplomatically."

The room fell into talking in Mandarin, and Treize zoned out, focused on the body language and the gestures of the room around him, how loud voices were and weren't, what deference sounded like in Mandarin.

He became aware after a while of Wufei looking at him, still looking vaguely something. He wasn't sure what. "I can translate if you like."

"Just enough to keep me from putting my foot in it worse at dinner?" he requested quietly.

Ah, that got him a smile. "We'll speak in Universal at dinner. Much more insulting to suggest that they're all too stupid to speak Mandarin."

"I wouldn't pick a fight there, Arabic was quite hard to learn." Treize leaned in slightly, and asked, "How do you kneel like this?"

Wufei shrugged. "Habit? We always sit this way. You can sit more rudely, no one will think anything but that you aren't entirely civilized." That tiny smirk was annoying and also delightful. "And we do speak Arabic. Meiran and I, in any case. Everyone else who doesn't would be cut off in conversation, of course, if one of Xian Pu's guards weren't translating via sign language behind the delegation. We've found it the most convenient way around issues." 

"That is creative." So Universal was easier, but they had more than that at hand. And just talking with Wufei was interesting, relaxing. He likes the slightly superior smirk. "What else do you speak?"

"I was good at languages, so English and French as well as Arabic, Mandarin, and Japanese." And Universal, so obviously something of a polyglot. "Meiran concentrated more on the languages of each colony."

He had basic military orders in no less than twenty, but for daily use it was narrower. "Then you're both good at languages. I envy you that." He was fairly sure he was going to be at Mandarin forever.

"Not necessarily good, per se," Wufei murmured. "But we started quite young. That does seem to be helpful."

"French, Russian, English, Universal. Arabic, just enough not to embarrass Romefeller while on travel." Which he had still wholeheartedly done. "It's a shame, the Russian was never really useful except for eavesdropping."

That earned him a fair smile. "So we would make an excellent espionage team, no?" Whatever had left him stiff earlier seemed to have come undone.

"Any chance we could continue our more private discussion after dinner?" There were things he could and couldn't do, but it had been four days and he wasn't dying.

Ah, he did enjoy it when Wufei's cheekbones flushed and his head dipped. "Yes?"

"Yes," Meiran said from the other side of him, and she looked quite like the cat who'd gotten the cream.

That was something to look forward to, though he wasn't sure how the three of them would interact. It seemed that Wufei was a package deal, and he could consider about no meaning no and yes meaning yes at a time when there wasn't something pressing to learn about.

"In any case," Meiran advised as the rest of their cabal began to make their way out of the room, "we've settled on a course of action and we have a bit of time before dinner."

Which meant what, he wondered, looking at them both. They seemed very elegant, very polished; just what he would have expected from a court couple.

She looked at him. "It would seem that you and the Emperor Consort have come to an understanding."

"We're working on it, yes." He kept his tone deferential, because the feeling he had for Wufei and how things worked with him was a blank slate with her.

There was something incredibly pleased about the look of her. "Well, then. Finally."

Wufei frowned at her. "We didn't do a very good job of asking."

It was possibly better that he didn't comment on that one, while Meiran lifted an eyebrow at him. "Oh? I think I did a fine job."

That made Wufei bite his lip. "He thinks we had him _neutered_. He didn't know that no was an option. Apparently that isn't standard operating procedure off colony."

"Which part?" She turned slightly, hands resting on her thighs. Her posture, precise as it was, was rather fascinating.

"Any of it."

Meiran frowned and hummed. "I had heard of it, but one discounts such notions. We are, after all, humans and not barbarians."

"I think you give humans too much credit." Treize struggled for the balance between a conversation that should have occurred in a smaller locked room, and one she was quite content to have in an open space. "I have a different frame of reference. I don't understand yours."

She blinked at him, and she and Wufei turned quite similar expressions upon him. "Of course you have the right to say no. It never occurred to me that you would. Even if you said yes out of political expediency alone."

"Which I did. Which isn't a yes." So perhaps one of them did understand the place he was coming from, and it was less baffling. It was something he could work from.

"It's a qualified yes. We wouldn't have tossed you into the dungeon for no," Meiran pointed out.

Wufei buried his face in his hands. "Mei."

"Based on my experience to date, I had no way of knowing that." Something about that, about Wufei's reaction made him smile.

"I don't know what you expect me to say. He could have said no," Meiran insisted. "But I've seen the way he looks at you."

"Which is why I'm... going to see if this works. How this works. I might need explanation." He set a hand on Wufei's hip, thoughtful.

Meiran's smile was incredibly pleased. "Mmm, yes. Well. We have communal families. Three to four adults, all raising children together, you understand. My consort has never met anyone he wanted to ask before you. I'm not even sure he knew that was what he wanted at the time." And Wufei groaned, covering his face again.

"Must you?"

"Yes. Yes, I must." He could almost feel the heat from Wufei's face when she said that. "Your choice needs to understand."

"Communal families." Except their child was dead, and he hadn't seen children on the colony. Of course, he'd only been to the work area.

Wufei sighed. "There's a better chance of conception, for one thing. Most of our children are quite young. Under ten. The only difference is...."

Ah. Yes. Empress. Well, that would make it awkward, he supposed."I did take that assumptive leap about the surgery." He let his fingers move, lingering slowly along the fabric over Wufei's thigh.

"I have been considering trying again."

That stricken look was disconcerting. "Meiran, you know what they said."

"Yes, and that was a decade ago, and we still need an heir. We will always miss Wei-Lin. That will never stop. But we need a leader for when we're gone."

Easier with three.

"L4 was always ahead of themselves medically that way. As I'm sure you know." It made him glad the room was empty, even if it was out in the open.

Meiran nodded. "Yes. It's remarkably convenient. And yet also disconcertingly so."

"Do you have regular dealings with them?" he asked them both, feeling curious, and thinking of what he might be able to contribute.

Wufei shook his head. "The Alliance kept us blockaded for quite a long time, and then afterward they didn't think we were here at all, that the biological weapons had worked. We didn't dare."

"We knew you were here. With a Gundam." It was one of those things that came out of his mouth and he wished he hadn't said it. "The Specials knew." And kept the secret, and that was how the Alliance had lost. A lack of curiosity.

The Empress's expression was judging, thoughtful. "And you told them to keep our secret. As the leader of the Specials."

"Why?" Wufei asked.

He started to answer and then stopped, possibly out of a sense of self-preservation. Which had done him no good so far. "You beat back an entire platoon with a prototype Leo and a half-finished Gundam. I wanted to fight your pilot when they had a complete machine."

Oh. He hadn't expected the satisfied curve of her mouth. "And when you did get to fight our pilot, he chose to take you on in personal hand to hand combat. And what did you think then?"

"That L5 had sent someone with an unerring sense of honor. I challenged him but all I had at the time was my service sword. He did not disappoint me by dismounting his mech." He was watching the side of Wufei's face when he said it. "He could've just sunk the ship I was on."

"That's what I told him." Meiran gave him a grin that was... he didn't know. It did seem to say so many things. "Well. No, I asked why he didn't just step on you. He said it would be dissatisfactory." He had a feeling that wasn't precisely what Wufei had said. Treize wasn't sure how or why.

Wufei grumbled vaguely. "She saw it."

"On data feed?" He'd been curious about how effective their jammers had or hadn't been and now it seemed his answer was that they hadn't been even remotely effective.

Meiran shrugged. "I was worried about my husband. I never thought I'd see him lose to you. But..."

"But I don't normally find people attractive and it threw me off balance," Wufei muttered, sulky.

"I would like a rematch." He could have a lifetime of rematches if he wanted to, because there had been interesting things about Wufei's technique that weren't standard to what he was used to. "I had gold in the Worlds in '78, and of course the '80 Olympics was the first suspended for the wars." And they still hadn't resumed. And most of the best and brightest were dead, injured in the wars.

"In which case I at least don't feel bad about how that ended." Wufei sighed. "Are we done talking about this? I think we've gone a bit sideways."

"I would like to watch you duel," Meiran said, watching them both with pleased eyes. "But the embargo. It left us resource poor but education rich."

"We have a lot to offer in terms of engineers or fabric manufacture. Silk in particular." Wufei looked at him. Which did explain the delightful material of his pajama suits.

"L4 had a lot of their resource satellite workers defect to Earth toward the end. They were rehoused at L1 and L2 for more pay."

Oh, that piqued both of their interest. "So we could offer them assistance in return for what we might need from them." Meiran's fingers tap-tap-tapped at her lower lip.

"The raw materials to continue the work you're doing," he suggested, and realized it was an overstep and added, "or anything. Human capital is scarce."

Wufei looked at her. "I have a new batch ready to graduate. It wouldn't be a bad thing."

"I do not want to seem too eager. We will negotiate." But he could see the gleam in her eyes, and perhaps dinner would be fun when it commenced. Possibly Wufei would be less sullen, particularly if he were going to kneel there the whole time feeling like a damn fool.

"Now then." Wufei looked at his wife. "Perhaps someone should apologize to Treize for calling him a house pet."

"Perhaps. But I don't think guard captain Xian Pu will ever stop calling you Meow Meow. I haven't seen her laugh this much in years." Meiran ducked it smoothly, but it did give Treize space to ask a question.

"How would this work, with you as empress and Wufei as your consort? Logistically."

Wufei glanced at Meiran. "Logistically? When you are comfortable, you would move into our chambers and they would then be yours."

So not a rotate in visiting bed warmer. That was... something he could work with, he thought. 

"And we'll get you a nice padded box at the end of the bed." Meiran started to laugh before she had even finished saying it, and it made Treize smile. "You do expect too much strangeness. Wufei, help me up. I need a moment before the delegation returns. Dinner will be long, so see to yourselves."

Once Meiran was standing, she swept from the room, her limp only slightly visible, and less so once she reached the hall and there was some chance that someone might see it.

"She'll have difficulty tonight," Wufei murmured, obviously worried.

"What helps?" Treize stood and stretched, taking a moment to shake off the ache from kneeling like that, while Wufei had unfolded himself with feline grace.

Dark eyes glanced his way. "I usually massage out the knots it causes not to limp. Sometimes it's too much and drugs are required. The injuries in that fight nearly killed her."

And now she was discussing a pregnancy; he could see why Wufei's reaction had been less than enthusiastic. "I don't doubt it. I'm glad she did live." She seemed like an interested leader, cunning, a little playful; a good mirror to her partner, whose style seemed different, more initially severe.

Wufei gave a sound of agreement. "Come on. Nearest facility isn't far, and we'll need to take care of that so that we don't get up in the middle of something important."

"Dorothy just started to use a catheter for those sorts of meetings." He supposed she was going to take his place as unofficially the most disturbingly odd member of any Romefeller contingency, and it left him feeling rather proud and pleased about his cousin.

The look on Wufei's face was well worth the speaking up. He clearly couldn't decide whether that was horror or the notion that it might well be quite a good idea, and that was clearly the point at which he should take Wufei's elbow and gently herd him toward the main hall.

* * *

He was furious that Quatre had gotten there first, that Treize was so free with his affections and so guarded at the same time, and that the L4 delegation had absolutely arrived thinking they were in a position of strength and were going to be taking L5 to the proverbial cleaners. Mostly he was just annoyed that Quatre had the ability to look so innocent when he was clearly just as free with his affections as Treize. So perhaps it was less fury at either of them and more worry that he wasn't up to par, truth be told. 

The negotiations had gone well enough, Wufei supposed. Certainly not the way that L4 had expected, Wufei could tell, because if anyone knew that gleam in Quatre's eye when things weren't going as expected, it was another Gundam pilot. Just because Quatre knew Wufei didn't mean Quatre knew Meiran, who drove a harder bargain and often ran circles around them both. Metaphorically.

Upon reaching their quarters, she had peed -- at long last! Catheters were perhaps not a bad idea -- and taken a pain pill. Wufei had an urge to tuck her into bed and lick her until she came and then slept, but Treize was there, looking around, trying to work something out in his head.

"Yes?" Wufei asked him, curious as to what might be holding his attention. Meiran was working her way toward the sofa, a wide sort of divan that wasn't as low to the floor as some so that she could rise more easily. He moved to assist her and wasn't surprised when she held onto him tightly.

"What would you be doing if I weren't here?" 

"I would perhaps go to bed early, but the idea of a floor show is inviting."

Both of Wufei's brows rose. "As if either of you is in any sort of state for it." He waved at Treize. "Freshly neutered." He then waved at Meiran. "And don't think I don't know how bad your hip is hurting."

It was the opposite of ideal circumstances, but Meiran clutched tight to his side for a moment, and turned her head to kiss him, slow, firm, demanding. "My hip hurts, but I will unwind before bed tonight." 

"Freshly neutered here at least wants to kiss you after I had to sit through L4 pretending to be generous." He crossed the space to the divan while Meiran kissed him first.

What was a man to do in such a case except sigh and give in? "Yes, Empress." If he sounded a little shaky, well. Surely that was excusable, all things considered.

A little... potentially outclassed, given that Treize advanced like a predator for a moment, laying a hand low on his back while Meiran smiled against Wufei's mouth and pulled back a little. "Yes, I want to see this."

Wufei licked his upper lip, swallowing. "Yes, Empress." It was a whisper now, and he shook just a bit, whether in anticipation or general nervousness, who could say?

He had liked the earlier kiss, the closeness; Treize leaned down to start with a press of mouth against mouth, hand firm on Wufei's back, other coming up to grasp the fabric of his robes, turning him closer. He went, one hand still on Meiran's thigh, but the other rose to rest upon Treize's forearm, and god, that was so good. The kiss was fabulous, and he moaned into it, quiet and a little shaky because he _wanted_ and the likelihood of that ending well tonight was utterly slim all things considered. He wanted, but he could wait, would have to wait. There was a slip of tongue, a moment of a deeper kiss, and then Treize pulled back, looking at the space to Meiran's side on the sofa, and turned both Wufei and himself, pulling Wufei with him while he sat down beside her. That was perfectly all right with him. Wufei had decided he quite liked being sprawled over Treize's lap in whatever position, and if his breath hitched sharply because he was imagining what that might be like when Treize was no longer sore and recovering, well. No one could blame him, honestly.

"Ah, I like this," Meiran murmured, reaching into Wufei's robe to loosen it, to open up his linen shirt while Treize kissed him again. That was a little much to process, two things going on at once, new and quite enjoyable.

"Nnn." Because he was a little overwhelmed, and Treize was pulling him in so that it was the best he could manage. Then Meiran's fingers ghosted over a nipple and he gasped. He heard her soft pleased noise, familiar, almost a one note chuckle, and then Treize pushed his robes down over his shoulders and for a moment Wufei felt as though he was in one of Meiran's trashy books rather than dealing with someone who didn't know where the ties were.

It was kind of hot. More than kind of hot, actually, and Wufei let his head fall back, looking at the ceiling for a moment before Treize's mouth found his throat, and the sound he made was ridiculous, half sigh and half whine. His fingers were shaking, and he hadn't moved them since he'd put them on Treize's arms. Now he let them work their way up, shaking, until his thumb could rub gently along Treize's collar bone.

"My pretty boy," Meiran cooed, and he wanted to object because he hadn't been a boy in a long time, but then Treize did something that made him shake.

It was teeth and tongue against the muscle where neck and jaw joined, then tracing it down, sucking, one hand squeezing tight at his hip. A slight shift, and he could feel Treize was hard, settling him in closer. Wufei felt Meiran's hand trace his bottom.

They'd be the death of him, Wufei thought vaguely. The absolute death, and he would regret utterly nothing. Not a single solitary second, and he shuddered with the rippling pleasure that mouth against his neck brought on, Meiran's fingers teasing and caressing at the small of his back now.

She had gotten her hand beneath his shoved down robe and the linen trousers, and the suggestion of a tease was delightful as Treize kept kissing down, sucking at the hollow between his collarbones. Something about it all made him feel limp and pleasured, and he gave in to it, held between them, unsure what to do except enjoy it, feel them, and take whatever they gave him. He finally remembered that he had hands and stroked them up to Treize's hair, fingers gentling through it, stroking and petting.

It got him a quiet groan, too, felt him lean back against the back of the divan, pulling at Wufei. It was lazy, and Meiran teased him, kept him hard and just on the edge of wanting. "So pretty. I am going to like this."

"Mm, I had rather thought you might. Isn't he lovely?" Meiran was so pleased with herself. More than pleased, truth be told, and Wufei shook when she stroked him. "Shall we work together, then?" To make him come, Wufei knew.

"Yes." Treize kissed his mouth for a moment, and then turned Wufei's body a little more toward Meiran, making him easier to reach. She slid fingers over his cock, a luxurious sort of stroke, and he moaned into Treize's mouth, loud and felt as it shivered its way through him. More than, and he pulled back for a moment, panting.

"Fuck. _Fuck_."

"Eventually," Treize said, all easy smiles, one hand sliding to cup his ass cheek. The squeeze pressed him closer to Meiran, who took advantage of it, thumb stroking just so against him on the underside of his cock, and then Treize leaned in and bit at the cord of his throat, and it was over for him, completely and utterly done.

He came in Meiran's fingers, moaning loud as Treize kept kissing him, teasing his skin, and everything was hot and he wanted more, more. So much more, and Wufei shook, panted against him, and went limp there in Treize's lap, still sprawled over him, knees on either side of his thighs.

"There, pretty boy. There," Meiran murmured, lifting her fingers to her mouth, eyes heavy lidded.

"This is very good." Good enough to possibly forgive getting snipped; he could feel that Treize was still hard, slumped against him as he was.

"Mmm, it is," she agreed, and Wufei tucked his face against Treize's throat. "He's beautiful when he gives in, isn't he? I've always enjoyed that about him."

"Natural submissive." Treize's voice was low and relaxed, still petting at him. "Just lovely."

"And utterly unexpected, I should think." Meiran was petting him, too, and Wufei felt a bit embarrassed. Not enough to make him move, though. "I'm sure you can't wait to see him on his knees, and I will delight in watching his face the first time you fuck him."

He didn't know what face Treize made in response to that, but he could feel the man very subtly squirm, exhaling. "I'm looking forward to the stitches coming out."

Wufei didn't know what to say, wasn't sure he even had anything to say, so he just rested there, his breathing placid, body relaxed. He could fall asleep there, he thought, and finally yawned against Treize's throat. Treize seemed content, and it was only after a moment that he realized Meiran had slouched, her thigh pressing against his knee and calf, Treize's free right hand sliding up between her silken skirts.

"Well, you are a keeper," she murmured, leaning in and pressing a kiss against Wufei's temple before she turned her mouth to Treize's.

Everything was quiet for a moment, the soft noises of kissing, and when Treize pulled back, he said very lightly, "That's good, I don't think the shelter takes returns. Oh, so wet."

Meiran panted, shifted, and Wufei drew back from Treize with sleepy eyes, watching her face. "Oh. Oh, that's.. you have very large fingers, it's..."

"Is this all right?" Wufei couldn't remember the last time anyone had touched Meiran, but him.

"Oh, more than. Might be better if the angle was better," she replied, offering direction. "Oh, that is... Mmmm, yes."

"I'll move," Wufei offered, even though he didn't want to move at all.

He was comfortable and fucked out, and Treize twisted slightly, shoulder against the divan, trying to get the right angle. "Tell me what she likes best," Treize murmured to Wufei.

"Thumb on her clit. Press up with your fingers when you push them in." And being eaten out, because who didn't enjoy that?

Treize's eyes were heavy, expression half of concentration as his hand and wrist moved slightly under the fabrics. He wished he could see, but he could see Meiran's expression, see the way she finally laid back, legs sprawled around them, and that was probably making her hip ache but it didn't seem to be bothering her enough for them to stop. She was rocking them to meet his hand, and Wufei looked up at Treize then, saw the way he seemed pleased with himself, and yes. That pleased Wufei, as well.

There had been a lot of asking when they would find a third, or even more than that, as if people were worried about them. Two had always seemed plenty, though just then he could see the appeal. Three people to carry a burden and three people to make an enjoyable moment better. Treize managed to flip her skirts aside a little more with a wrist motion, and now he got glimpses of the inside of her thigh. It was enough for him to stir, a little uncomfortable since he'd so recently come, and then her hand went down, grasped Treize's at the wrist and held it in place, and Wufei knew she was close.

If he was a smart man, he kept moving his thumb, kept doing whatever it was he was doing. She moaned, bucking softly against his hand, his fingers, her hand like iron on his wrist. Next time, next time Wufei would be more active, they could all be more active, but that was lovely, when Meiran let Treize go, and Treize offered Wufei his wet fingers.

Wordlessly, he began to lap them clean, tongue kittenish, eyes closed. She tasted good to him, and Treize's fingers were in fact large, bigger than his, in any case. He could only imagine what that might feel like when all was said and done, and he sighed, nuzzling at them.

"That was lovely." Meiran sounded tired, fuzzy at the edges. "Orgasms are excellent for pain, honestly."

"Mmm, yes. I think we need to get you both to bed." Which meant moving, which meant standing up, but. Bed and pillows and sheets were nice, too.

"Stay," Wufei offered, and he managed to look up into those ridiculously sapphirine eyes.

"Do," Meiran agreed, and she began to stir and rise with the help of her walking stick. "If you want pajamas, it's fine, your quarters are the old nursery. Through that door." She waved.

The man started to laugh, a quiet, almost polite chuckle. "You're the neighbors that I've been listening to have amazing sex every night!"

Wufei wasn't surprised when Meiran laughed along with him, and his own mouth curled up in a pleased sort of smile. "Well, yes. That would in fact be us."

"I'd been envious." He shifted, standing up slowly and nudging Wufei along. It took a moment to unwind themselves, post sex always did, but the bed not having wet spots did make the other furniture more appealing.

"No need to be envious, pet." Meiran smirked, and gently prodded Wufei, who began stripping off his clothing without a hint of modesty because he'd come and he was tired and they had what he'd wanted so he felt quite comfortable being naked in front of them both. It was a bit surprising, he supposed, but there they were.

"I need to pay more attention to where the ties are," Treize said quietly, managing to unwrap himself from the formal wear Xian Pu has no doubt shoved him in, all while calling him _meow meow_.

She had a warped sense of humor.

"It's not so hard," Wufei told him, giving a wide yawn as he strolled toward the baths to brush his teeth. "'s easy.

By the time he was done, Meiran was naked in bed, and Treize was sitting on the edge in underwear, still hard, but looking sleepy enough that bed was probably possible. Wufei crawled in with a yawn, settled beside Meiran, who gazed at him and then yawned in response. "Tomorrow will be a busy day," she murmured, and waved a hand toward Treize. "Come along, pet."

"Just waiting to see where I should fit in." Polite and thoughtful, just a little deference, but he moved to settle in behind Wufei, curling in around his back.

It took a bit to curl themselves together comfortably. Wufei would never be sure how long, because he was fairly certain that he was the first one to drop off, soft murmurs from his bedmates lulling him into sleep.

* * *

Waking up the next morning had been a lazy affair, lazier than he was accustomed to. Staying abed with company had been nice, comfortable. Wufei slept soundly, snored a little, and Meiran was a quietish still sleeper. He lazed as long as he could then quietly left to go through to the connecting door to his quarters, trying not to wake either of them. He just wasn't that tired and there was still time for a run before the festivities of the day began.

The gardens were beautiful; it was clear that a lot of time had been spent gently creating bedded areas that would remind the occupants of L5 of home, and the nightly mist that watered them approximated dew. Not so much that he would slip on it while running, but it was quite soothing to run there beside the pond that was probably part of the watering system itself.

It was such a spot of beauty that it shouldn't have surprised him to find other people there in the gardens, but this one was out of the norm for the pattern of life Treize had become accustomed to. He slowed, seeing Quatre Winner seated at a tiny veranda with a cup of tea. The fourth Gundam pilot. What a... that was still an impossible seeming revelation.

"Good morning." He did look utterly innocent, which was rather funny all things considered. "It's nice to see you, General."

"It's good to see you, as well." He needed to approach it with a certain wariness, but it was hard to shake his curiosity. "I appreciate your concern for my well being, but I'm afraid our mutual hosts took some offense."

That smile was probably enough to fool anyone who wasn't familiar with him. "Yes, well. Wufei was always rather excitable on that front, I suppose. How are you?"

"Settling in for a long stay." He folded his hands behind his back, parade rest as a habit he was never going to be able to shake. "Conditions here are good. It got better once the atmospheric system was repaired."

That seemed to startle Quatre, his brow drawing together in concern, mouth falling open. "What was wrong with the atmospheric system?"

"It wasn't producing enough oxygen. I'd say the saturation here was akin to being at eight or nine thousand feet." He lifted his eyebrows at Quatre, hoping he hadn't thrown a wrench in the negotiations. "The solar arrays had been damaged in the war. You know how hard they are to repair without the specialist equipment."

"Why didn't Wufei ask? I would have sent..." Well, obviously he wouldn't have or he wouldn't be here now. He sighed. "I would have figured out something. He's so proud."

"One of thousands. They're all very proud." He walked closer to the pond, a little closer to the other pilot, still watching Quatre. "Given everything they've survived, they have reason to be proud."

"Yes. I suppose so," Quatre agreed, and then shook his head. "Well. It's obviously working quite well now."

"Yes, it is. And I have to say, the roses have begun to look a little less Jurassic now that they're getting less CO2." He watched Quatre, trying to work out what his body language might give away that his innocent face wouldn't. "What were you trying to find out?"

"Your brother was worried and wanted to be sure that you were actually all right." Ah, yes. Doubtlessly true, and Quatre most likely had an agenda of his own in the meantime, so it was undoubtedly a two for one sort of deal.

"Because our calls are monitored." That made him smile, feel a swell of pride at his eternally sneaky brother. "I'm alive, I'm being treated well. I'm afraid in a few more months it will look as if I've gone full Stockholm syndrome, and perhaps I will have."

"Oh?" The look on his face was inquiring, but his eyes were knowing. "Yes, I always did rather think that perhaps Wufei was... flexible."

He lifted his eyebrows in response. "I should have pegged you as the only possible pilot for 04. You did an excellent job of organizing the pilots together when they were all attempting to kill each other. I wonder if you plan to do that for the colonies. We seem to be in the claw each other's eyes out stage."

Quatre waved a hand. "Well. Wufei was the only one who was that resistant to the idea. Quite independent, truly. As for the rest of the colonies..." He lifted his tea cup to his mouth. "L2 is the usual disastrous mix of forthcoming civil war and religious zealots. Dekim Barton is planning something ridiculous and sneaky, only he seems half senile at this point so it's all very kindergarten playground with him right now. The only real opposition I might have would be Brad Crawford on L1 and Liung Meiran on L5."

Which told him that Crawford seemed the most likely to be a challenge, and that Vingt was having back channel discussions with him. Well, as long as a couple of decent folks thought they were the ones in charge, they'd feel ownership when the shit hit the fan. "And here you are for L5. What do you expect them to oppose?"

"It's not truly opposition I'm expecting, truth be told. But the Empress is well known for getting her way. She's terrifyingly bright, and with Wufei backing her up, well. Better to come to good terms with them in case either of them turns their eye to world conquer, don't you think?" He sipped from his cup again. "Also they have a fantastic potential work force but they're lacking in resource materials. I could do a great deal worse for myself than to come to an understanding that will be profitable for all of us."

"You could." He still half wondered what Quatre's game might be, but he didn't ask out loud. "I think they might look to restore their home first. They're still young, and they have many years of rule here ahead of them."

"This section is quite lovely, but I assume that means it's the portion in best repair considering it's the Imperial compound," Quatre replied. He tipped his head to the side for a moment. "Stockholm syndrome, hm?"

Treize turned to better look at him. "This is an indefinite sentence. I don't need to make it worse for myself by miserably fighting everything tooth and nail."

Ah, that smile. He knew that smile. It was the one that had gotten him arrested, in fact. "Oh, that does sound rather exciting. Do tell."

Quatre just wanted gossip, and he was going to give him gossip, just not the sort he most enjoyed hearing. As offended as he was with the snip. the sheer amount of casual contact he was going to be allowed with the Empress made it sink in why it mattered. "I'm being allowed to restore Tallgeese II."

That clearly wasn't what Quatre expected to hear, his eyes going wide. "They're keeping mobile suits?"

"Repairing," he corrected. "And once I've got it rebuilt, who knows? They might even let me pilot again. If it ever become necessary."

"That's not precisely comforting." His lips were pursed, brows drawing in with concern. "Everyone else has been disarming."

"Everyone else didn't lose an heir in a biological attack from the ruling planetary government." Treize lifted one foot to pull at the back of his sneaker heel, adjusting it.

That was clearly information Quatre hadn't previously possessed. "Oh. Oh, no."

"She was two at the time. I don't think Wufei has gotten over it." It was harder to tell if Meiran simply put up stronger emotional walls than her husband. "Their dead from that attack are interred in a field by the workshops. It's a stunning visual reminder of their losses."

Quatre sighed, a steady release of breath that edged on sorrow. "I see. That does explain a few things. They don't plan to use them offensively. You realize that anyone other than me would make several quick assumptions about that."

That angry and disenfranchised, he had thrown his lot in with a potential insurgent group. "I do. I also know you're a savvy enough strategist not to jump to that conclusion."

Such a cat that got the canary expression that was. "Yes, well. It doesn't hurt that we fought together, I suppose. Besides, I expect their engineers have to learn somehow. You know I'll have to keep a close eye on things because of it."

"Of course. And what better way than by resuming regular trade and normalizing their contact with the outside world?" He stretched slightly, checking his watch. "Apologies, I need to get back on my run before the head of the guard comes looking for where I've gotten to. Always good to see you."

"Hm, yes." Yes, and he was clearly concentrating on whatever it was he planned to ask for, already distracted. It was best to leave him to scheme in peace, finish his tea, and admire the flowers. Treize took off back along his path, a little faster as if that would help him regain lost time.

When he got back, Xian Pu was waiting, giving him the stink eye. "You were gone longer than usual, meow meow." Ah, yes, well.

"I stopped to enjoy the roses." He gestured to the door she was blocking. "What's the schedule for today?"

She shrugged. "Things will be moving to Empress's quarters unless you do not want to go. And if that is so, you are more foolish than I give you credit for being, no?"

Well. If he felt like an urge for privacy, he could hide in the gardens, he supposed. "No," he said, noting the slight bit of defensiveness or protectiveness in her voice. Perhaps both. "No, I don't plan to squander what seems like an interesting opportunity."

"Good." She moved and let him through the door. "Because we have already packed away most of your things and moved them. Besides." She grinned. "Is better if Emperor Consort helps you dress, I think."

"If you're about to tell me to dress more elegantly for jogging, I'm going to be very disappointed in you all." They had cleared out the room and now it once more looked like the empty cell he had thought it to be when he arrived. Clearly the rubicon had been crossed by accepting the invitation to dinner and after.

And he felt no conflict about that at all.

Xian Pu snorted. "No. Would be as appropriate as dressing elegantly for the shops. Garages?" Well, yes. "Bathing things are still in bathing room, but no clothing, so. Might be best to take those with you next door."

"Thank you. I'll move those items, then." He hesitated a moment before stepping into the bathroom. "What time do they usually get up?"

"Empress is having tea and breakfast in her office. Consort prefers sleeping later, so she left him sleeping since there will be other meetings later today." Xian Pu paused. "You are -- were -- unexpected. As a choice."

"Mmm?" He made it an open sound, curious what else she might say. It was sort of obvious, one did not usually go looking for enemy generals to bring home to any kind of arrangement, never mind a royal one.

She raised both hands, palm up. "Has been a long time. We did not think they would ever take a third. Much less someone like you." Her eyes narrowed. "Do not prove yourself a wrong choice, no?"

"I hope this will be an advantageous choice for all of us." Even if it never went further or implied more than a comfortable bed and two interested bedmates. Meiran was clearly accustomed to being a top, and Wufei dropped down low and comfortable as a sub. Dealing with the rest of his recovery was going to be quite literally a pain. He had a high sex drive, and having two lovely people in his bed would make things difficult indeed.

"Good." She nodded. "You know the way, then. I have other things to take care of."

"Thank you. Watch out for Mr. Winner today; he's much more capable than you would suspect at first glance." He stepped into the bathroom, peeling off his t-shirt.

"Sneaky," she called out to him, and whether that meant him or Quatre, who could say?

He let it lie, rinsed off with a hand towel. Then he gathered up his toiletries and used the shirt like a bag to carry it with him back to the Empress' quarters, where he planned to put everything into as small a footprint as possible.

When he opened the connecting door, the suite of rooms was still dark toward the bedroom, only a small curtain in the sitting room open to let in light. At least he knew where the bathroom was from watching Wufei last night, and so he took everything in with him and closed the door.

The floor level tub was the first thing that caught his attention, a shower in the corner, the wide stretch of countertop and shelves. It wasn't hard to work out where Wufei's were and to tuck his items in there, taking a moment to admire the well kept space before edging back out into the bedroom to either say hello or lie down for a moment of thinking.

Wufei was still sprawled out in the center of the bed, lying on his front and giving a faintly snuffling sort of snore, the covers drawn up to his waist. One hand was placed under a pillow and the other was stretched out as if he had expected someone to be there.

Meiran, he didn't doubt, because she was lovely and clearly adored him, no matter how imperious she acted or actually was. The fondness was obvious, a particular softening when she looked at him. Treize leaned in and brushed some of his wildly loose hair away from his forehead before settling on his back beside him for a moment. It was something of a surprise when Wufei vaguely stirred, turned, and allowed his arm to drape over him, legs pressed warmly to Treize's own. He wasn't awake, but he was obviously the sort who quite enjoyed snuggling up to someone else in bed. He couldn't remember the last time someone had curled up against him in sleep and kept sleeping, and it hadn't been an excuse to grab at his dick. That was just the sort of sleepovers he usually had, if he even stayed the night with someone.

This was something else altogether, and perhaps he hadn't actually considered it until just that moment. Not really, and Treize wasn't sure if that felt like panic or something else.

He could think about it later. It was something he couldn't make risky choices about, because he was there indefinitely as he'd told Quatre that morning. And indefinitely was a softer way of saying out loud 'until his death'.

Then again, what might have happened if he had said no? Would they have given him back or let him live as a hermit on the opposite side of the colony ring? He wondered, but not enough to say no. Not when this was quite acceptable.

All in all, it was better than the last year of the war had been, because he'd found himself endlessly at odds with Romefeller and his brother, and one could hardly spell Khushrenada on Earth without someone somehow making a codependency joke. It was easier to take the wound, take the fall, and try to find something enjoyable in his new situation. The evening before had been luxurious, Wufei kneeling on him, Meiran's legs parted for him, but her hand a grip that said she'd break his wrist if he disobeyed her. He could only imagine that he was never going to be the one in charge there, and it was something to consider, in any case. It was no wonder that Wufei submitted so easily.

It wasn't hard not to be in charge. He'd damn near thrown the responsibility for Romefeller at Vingt, and in charge didn't always mean in the lead. It wouldn't kill him to occasionally lie down and doze a bit beside a handsome man a decade younger than him.

Sometime later, he came back to full awareness and Wufei was still sprawled out beside him, but he had managed to nuzzle himself in closer and Treize's left arm was feeling a bit dead because his head was on his shoulder at an angle that was probably comfortable for him.

He moved his arm, shifted gently, trying to slowly rouse him. "As much as I want to lie here all day, I think we need to get up."

Wufei sighed and muttered something, but he was at least blinking. "Time 's it?"

"Past nine." It was a guess, and it was probably later than that. "Meiran has started work and I've gone for a jog."

Wufei sighed and kind of settled back on his shoulder. "Mm. No class today. Called it off."

"Are we all attending to L4 today or is it regularly cancelled occasionally?" He turned a little, sliding a leg under Wufei's, letting himself entangle a little.

"L4," Wufei muttered, and he was clearly going to snuggle his way closer and go back to sleep if Treize let him.

He shifted, used a foot on the bed to turn them both, and put Wufei back on his back, pinning him to the bed for a moment. "Then we should be there and you need to help me dress."

That seemed to do something, anyway, because Wufei was blinking up at him, a bit more awake, and it was quite clear that he liked being exactly where he was. "Ah, I.... Yes?" Yes, he did need to wake up and help him dress, and they both needed a shower.

"Yes. Or we're going to be late again." They probably already were, but he assumed that was fine as no one had pounded down the door.

Wufei seemed to be seriously considering that as a possibility, but Treize wasn't going to be doing anything about that. At least not yet. "I need caffeine." At the very least.

"I'll find some." That seemed to be a reasonable solution, and so far tea hadn't been hard to find, or coffee. He got off the bed, checking the sideboards for some sort of setup.

By the time he found it and brewed a cup, Wufei was curled up again, but his eyes were open, watching him with a lazy sort of gaze, covers pulled up to his waist. Treize offered him the tea and that earned him a tiny curve of lips. "Hm. Keeping you if this is what morning looks like."

"It's not a terrible view for myself, either." He wasn't in charge of everything, there were no 0700 meetings and urgent tasks to be seen to, there were no missing shipments and destroyed cruisers, there were no battle damage assessments to work in his head into the impact on the larger war effort. There was just time for a jog, space to breathe. It had been driving him a little crazy to have time, but going to the workshop, having things to do, tasks to keep his mind busy, helped.

This would help, too.

Wufei sipped at the tea, gaze still full of slumber, and they were quiet together for a time. That seemed to be enough, all things considered, and he appeared to be a bit more awake by the time he'd made it to the bottom of the cup.

"We should join the delegations," Treize re-insisted, taking the cup from him in an easy gesture. He was unexpectedly lovely to look at, expression calm and just waking up, hair loose and rumpled with sleep. "I ran into your fellow pilot while jogging this morning."

Well, that got his attention, his frown and furrowed brows telling. "Did you?"

He gave Wufei an agreeing noise, reaching for his hand to pull him up out of bed with a slow insistent gesture. "Vingt is behind his fishing expedition yesterday."

Honestly, Treize was a bit amused that he did as indicated or told. Chang Wufei, Pilot 05, was obstinate and probably wouldn't have done a single damned thing because someone told him to do it. Chang Wufei, Emperor Consort, however, seemed well conditioned to do as told, and Treize could only imagine how delightful that would be in time. "Your brother is a sneaky bastard."

"I expect it to continue until he feels absolved of his guilt." He stroked a hand over Wufei's back, enjoying the feeling of skin on his palm and earning himself a sigh. "Which might be never."

"Meiran will only put up with so much, you know. She'll get impatient and irritated."

That wasn't something he wanted to bring about. He took a moment to think of how to say his next thought, while Wufei stretched, finally seeming to wake up. "If you'll allow me to talk to him unmonitored. Or not obviously so. I can perhaps get him to stop. It's... really because of a historical item."

Something about the way Wufei looked up at him made him smile. "Historical item?"

In his personal interest in keeping things vague and easy on the subject, he hadn't given himself a lot of leeway. "One I have to be very deep in my cups to talk about." He cleared his throat, stroking his hands idly over Wufei's shoulders. "Show me what appropriate clothes for today would be."

"Shower first," Wufei informed him, and pulled him to the bathing room.

Half an hour later, they were dressed and leaving their quarters, not for lack of wanting, but mostly for the quite good reason that Treize was still recovering and also that he still felt a call to adhering to timelines and schedules. A month and change of being broken away from that wasn't going to fix a lifetime of time-focused reaction.

"Meiran will be plotting in her office." Yes, quite probably, and Treize had no idea where that was. "But I expect that what we need to do is pull the information from the shop and start grouping together students by capability and their readiness to be released to work on their own in conjunction with our ability to do without them."

"So, do we do that here or from the shop? Do we have a list of what L4 is specifically asking for?"

Wufei shook his head. "Not yet. We have expectations, though, and also what we're willing to give in exchange for whatever we request. So at least that's a starting place."

"All right. Lead the way and show me where I can help." For now, he knew going through the records or knowing the team there wasn't something where he could be helpful.

It was probably going to be a long day.

* * *

Meeting with Quatre hadn't been planned, precisely, but Meiran had thought that perhaps he would give something away to someone he knew. Wufei quite sincerely doubted it, but arranged to be conveniently available during one of the breaks.

Treize needed to disappear for medical follow up, so it worked out well, leaving the Emperor Consort all by himself. Like bait. And like bait, Quatre showed up, looking curious and a little oddly sympathetic. But Quatre had always looked oddly sympathetic.

"Winner." Might as well greet him properly, in any case. Regardless of the face he was making. "Your meeting with the Empress must be done."

"Yes. She's..." He gave Wufei a smile, stalling while he was clearly trying to find polite words. "It's rather refreshing to meet and talk with her. I can see how the ESUN president was quite so overwhelmed by her list of demands during the initial accords."

He shrugged easily. "She is quite good at getting what she wants." And he was an extension of that, which was as it should be. "Other women don't quite hold up to her insofar as I can tell."

"We all did wonder, with you going on about weak women." Quatre folded his hands in front of himself, polite, humble, eyes warm, bright blue and just a suggestion of scheming going on behind them. "I should have guessed it was because you had high expectations."

"Very high," Wufei agreed. He looked innocent as the day was long, but Wufei knew better now. He was the sort who'd fuck someone in public, on a balcony no less. Wufei was fairly certain that was something he'd never do. "My wife is extraordinary, as you can see."

"You have excellent taste all around in companions, yes. The empress is extraordinary." He paused for a moment; coffee and tea were nearby but he made no move for it. "I'm glad you're well and you've settled in well back in your colony."

"And I see you seem to have settled in quite well yourself. If you're being sent out on diplomatic missions." Ha.

"Oh yes. My sisters are very comfortable running the company without me, but didn't want me to feel marginalized. I'm more than happy to represent L4 to Earth and the other colonies." The edges of his eyes crinkled a little. "I know you don't feel charitable to me right now. I am sorry if yesterday sounded as if I were accusing."

"Are you?" It clearly wasn't the appropriate reason for being sorry, but Wufei had to let it go. Jealousy was ridiculous in very many ways. "Apology accepted."

"Thank you." Quatre allowed an appropriate pause as he took in the room they were standing in. "You know that if you need anything, you can ask."

Hm. That was all well and good, but Wufei preferred not to do so. "Fair trade is the thing that would be best for all of us," he murmured, moving to go to the sideboard. "Wine or tea?"

"Tea, please." He smiled at Wufei. "Never have drank. I was thinking of any damage suffered during the war."

"To the colony? Very little damage that wasn't already inflicted by the Alliance." Or by the way their attempts at trade had been squeezed down to nonexistence.

"Then what was inflicted by the Alliance," Quatre said, moving with him as Wufei played the part of gracious consort to the empress and poured the tea. "The general mentioned some of it; he was probably the cause of some of it."

Wufei managed not to sigh. "There were blockades in place. Among other things. So our economy has suffered and we've done a great deal of recycling as well as having existed for some time with significantly lowered oxygen levels. Some of the children who survived the original biological warfare attack are quite ill because of it. We do the best we can."

"There's... help for that. Aid societies, there's money to be had for that. You should accept it." Quatre's voice dipped a little when he said that.

"No one knew we were here. They thought we'd been wiped out entirely, and we almost were. It wasn't safe to seek assistance, and now we're just starting to get our feet under us again." He hated admitting it, but if he did and that earned him some sort of leeway, he would take it.

"L3 reaches out for it all the time; there's no... sign of weakness in asking for help." He sipped at his tea, leaning in a little.

"Right." Wufei contemplated the matter. "And what is it that you hope to get out of all of this? I know what you've asked for and we've been going through my most recent class. A number of them are ready to enter the workforce, which is good for us, I suppose."

"We really do need the skilled manpower," Quatre admitted. "We need trainers, as well."

Well. That was something. "I'm the instructor. Some of the others might be acceptable, or you could always send them here in an educational exchange."

"Or a mix of both?" He lifted his eyebrows at Wufei, taking another sip of tea. "L2 has all the workforce and none of the resources to provide a quality of life, but the close proximity to Earth has been alluring."

He couldn't help smirking, and at least managed to hide it with his own teacup. "Mm. But no one wants to mix themselves up with their religious zealotry. It always ends badly." Usually in massacres and strangeness. Then again, perhaps the werewolf cult thing was working their way through the other religious nuts and unifying them. He should check in and see.

"No, but our skilled workforce liked the money," Quatre said ruefully. "And they'll find themselves somewhat disappointed when the tenure of their contract is over."

"Not welcome back, I take it?" They'd abandoned their people. Wufei could see where that would be an issue. He didn't think that his people would evince that sort of willful abandonment. "So. What precisely is it that you want?"

"I'd like to be friends with you again, Wufei. To work together in the future if something goes wrong." He still had a soft smile when he asked it.

That just made Wufei feel even more paranoid about what he might possibly want. "I'll think about it," he said, and slid his eyes to the side before giving Quatre a vague sort of lift of his lips. "Our needs align in any case."

"Maintaining our colonies and sharing resources," Quatre said, raising his cup in a sort of toast. "We do have some wonderful medical satellites."

"Ah?" And that was probably quite a good thing, Wufei thought. "What are the specialties?" It was a fair question, he thought.

"Reproductive sciences." He made a bit of a rueful face. "For whatever reason, those of us who colonized L4 struggle with it. We, my father, cloned. It's not a good solution, but we have found so many more."

That sounded rather like Quatre knew far too much about their situation, but it also got Wufei's attention in its entirety. "Cloning or gestation?"

"Gestation. It's been one of our goals, reducing poor maternal outcomes." Treize had said a lot in a very short period of time, and Wufei wondered why and to what end.

Still.

"We've used our own methods for getting around some of the low birth rate issues and it normally works quite well." That and it had given them quite a lot of advantage when it came to raising children, on the whole. Fewer utterly exhausted days after a babe was up all night when more people shared the task. "That being said, it is possible we will have a use for precisely such a thing."

"Good! Good, I would be excited if we could help. There's been... a lot of death. It would be nice if we could all turn toward life instead of war." That was the Quatre he had known, a little too earnest when he said things like that.

Even if he happened to be a hussy.

"Yes," Wufei agreed, and he couldn't help smiling back at him despite everything. "Yes. It would be."

* * *

Meiran was incredibly grateful when the L4 delegation left their colony. It wasn't that they were particularly annoying; it was mostly just that she wanted to put her mind back where it belonged -- namely, her boys.

It probably kept them from having any over eager accidents with her new pet, being tired and having worked out all the details of their new and interesting inter-colony union. Treize had the stitches out and the most interesting thing about that was that he was shaved.

She was very tempted to tell him to keep that up, because it was a fine look on him. And the man was utterly shameless, so she had certainly gotten more than one quite good look at things. It was possible that she felt just a bit overly turned on at the ideas it gave her, but that was her own secret to keep.

It wasn't that Wufei needed to be brought out of his shell, but he could benefit from a partner who had that level of easy, shameless confidence. A partner who seemed to have something of a subtle subservient streak himself, because he hadn't bucked or given the slightest inclination of simmering defiance in him.

Lust, yes, but nothing dangerous.

Of course, now that the delegation was off of L5 that meant that they had time to themselves again. Time to do a number of things that she'd been waiting for quite patiently, if she did say so herself.

Wufei and Treize were back to teaching classes and repairing mobile suits again, trying to get the last bits of training finished so that they could meet their requirements for being sent to L4. That meant she had time to spend an afternoon spoiling herself and getting everything just the way she wanted for when they came home that evening.

Xian Pu had laughed herself nearly sick over it.

But she wanted to give her husband and their new partner _choices_ , choices for themselves, choices for her. If none of them were used and it was all hands and mouths and fingers and dicks, that was quite acceptable as well, but laying out the collection for perusal sent a message.

If Xian Pu thought it was funny that she had laid out all of their various options, well, that was her problem, wasn't it? And possibly a sign that she'd taken her turn at getting up with the baby recently. It was good that Xian Pu was doing that, though. It kept everyone on an even keel.

They came back in time, looking pleased with themselves and their work so far, talking. Talking to each other, that was good. She was sure it was a perfectly normal conversation.

It was always nice when the puppies played well together. 

"We don't have the torque right yet," Wufei was saying as they walked into the room, and Treize opened his mouth to reply only to catch sight of everything Meiran had laid out for them.

"Oh." Oh, and everything they were arguing about hydraulics (because that was what they had argued about over breakfast and dinner the night before, though it wasn't _arguing_ , more like verbal foreplay) just finally stopped.

There was room for a piston pumping joke, Meiran decided, but she rather hoped neither of them made it.

Never mind the temptation she herself felt.

"Ahhhh." Wufei's mouth was open, and that was the sound he made when his brain had gone offline a bit. Mmm, she loved doing that to him. Well. And a number of other things, actually, but she tipped her head to the side and crossed her legs, looking at them both. If her thighs squeezed a bit, well. Who could blame her? They were such a pretty sight. And Wufei got better and better every year. He'd been a little funny looking around fifteen, but she'd been fond of him and he'd grown into himself wonderfully.

"I suppose now we know what dinner is," Treize quipped, moving to the side table to stare at some of the dildos and toys that were laid out. He picked up a small vibrator that fit in one's palm. It had a little cup shaped tip rather than any of the big or bright ones.

"Oh, dinner will be coming," she promised. "And so will we." Her gaze left him and went to her husband, who was eying both of them and fidgeting slightly. She saw the way he swallowed. "Come her, sweet."

It wasn't at all surprising to her when he came just as beckoned, and dropped to his knees in front of her, hands going to her thighs.

She heard the other man exhale, a little surprised, a little pleased. Wufei was gorgeous like that, and she dropped a hand to his hair, pulling out of his ponytail in a smooth gesture. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine, Empress." Ah, another little hitch of breath from their pet. He probably hadn't expected Wufei to call her that in this situation.

"Tired, I imagine. With your busy brain," she said, letting her hand slide to caress his neck lightly, pushing at the open jacket he wore sometimes. He didn't smell too much like shop and metal just then, and he was clean, very clean for a work day. 

He had guessed. She did so love it when he showed her just how bright he was.

"Not too tired, Empress." Hmm, and she could only imagine how he had spent lunch, getting himself all cleaned up. She did wonder how he'd explained it.

If he had even bothered and if their pet had joined him. "Good. I'll let you eat before you undress entirely. But take off your jacket." He had never been a fan of any naked food other than tea or coffee.

Wufei moved to obey her and Meiran looked up, catching their pet's bright blue eyes, unable to keep a smirk from her face. She did wonder exactly what he thought about this.

He seemed pleased since being moved into the main quarters, invited into the large bed. It made her think of stories from back home of tamed bears and foxes. And she watched him take off his own jacket, rolling the shirt sleeves up in an interesting cuff like it was second nature. "Where would you like to sit for dinner?"

"Here is fine," she answered. "One of the plates is prepared for hand feeding. I wasn't sure if you would prefer it." And Wufei was _blushing_ , god that was so delightful.

"Hand feeding?" It didn't sound like he didn't know what it was, more like it was an excellent surprise as he carried the food over to where she sat on the roomy much favored divan with the low table by it. "You've thought of everything."

"I quite like it when my sweet plaything is on his knees. Sometimes it requires a bit of thinking ahead is all." She wondered if Treize might ever be inclined.

She supposed she would find out with time. Meiran was sure he was a switch, he responded too well to orders, implied and direct, served too well. He sat on the other side of where Wufei was kneeling, looking at him with fondness and lust. "Yes, but there's thinking ahead and then there's masterful."

"Of all I survey, no less." Just now that included her husband and her pet, and she pushed her foot against Treize's thigh. "Would you like to feed him?" Her main goal tonight was to watch. She'd get off with no problem before the night was over, but she very much wanted to see Wufei's face when he took that sizable cock. She always liked to see him when she did it, so this should be delightful.

The real thing was always so much better than a toy. And for the man to have had so much... not experience, but possible, evidential repeat customers if the pilot from L4 was an example, said that she didn't need to teach him how to use lube or take his time. "Very much so."

When he passed a plate to her, she took it and the napkin beneath. Wufei looked so very disconcerted, and she slid her foot into his lap, pressing her toes against his hard cock. "Such a beautiful boy," she murmured, and oh, the flush on his cheeks heightened, and she leaned in against him, pressing her foot against him through the fabric of his trousers. Treize balanced a place for himself on the arm of the divan, and selected the one which was already prepared as pre-cut morsels to pick a bit of beef off of to offer Wufei.

Her husband closed his eyes, let out a breath, and then opened his mouth, tongue out for the bite to be placed upon it. Treize did so, stroking his finger along that tongue and then gently using the back of his knuckles to indicate that he should close his mouth and chew.

It was lovely, watching Wufei's face as he chewed, and then how his lips parted slightly to indicate he was ready for more, a softness to his expression as their pet offered him another bite. "This is lovely."

"You can understand why I would want to get you for him then." She raised an eyebrow as she popped a bite into her own mouth.

"You have an interest in making him happy." His thumb lingered at the edge of Wufei's bottom lip, then curved against his jaw. He took a moment to eat a bite of his own, eyes fixed on Wufei between their legs. His eyes were still closed, and he simply waited patiently, lips parted for the next piece at Treize's pace.

"I've had him for a very long time," Meiran offered quietly. "And a shared life is much better when you both share goals and happiness, don't you think?"

There was a sideways quirk of the man's mouth. "Never got that far. In theory, I would say yes." He was a little past forty, somewhere in there, and that disappointed her a little, perhaps. It wasn't an idea, a lack, that she was accustomed to, though their pet didn't seem to falter in his rapt attention to Wufei's mouth, slipping him another bite.

She didn't miss the way Wufei sucked his fingers clean, either. "Well. Now you can test the theory, no?"

"I might be terrible at it. So I'll welcome correction and guidance." His fascination with Wufei would be an excellent starting block, and he sighed, leaning down for a moment to kiss Wufei.

Her husband was responsive and so sweet when he was on his knees. So pretty when he obeyed, and she had never realized just how much she would enjoy seeing him like this with someone else. "Mmm, I feel that we've made an excellent choice in getting a pet."

He chuckled against Wufei's mouth, fingertips tracing the edge of his jaw before he straightened up and slipped Wufei a bite of dumpling, fingers lingering perfectly, enjoying the play of Wufei's teeth and tongue and mouth.

Meiran gently pressed her toes against Wufei's erection and was unsurprised when he gave a stuttering sigh. "Anyone else would think this was impossible. People who knew him during the war." That had always been her favorite thing, the utter dichotomy of who Wufei was and who he appeared to be.

"Then they're uncreative. I always thought it was traditional, to want to give up control when one didn't have to wield it." He paused to give Wufei a sip of wine before reaching for another bite of food.

She smiled. "And they've never seen him on his knees. I would imagine that you're very pretty on your knees, too." Which was how she liked it.

"You'll have to let me know." He had a wry turn of words, a nice voice. She would see him that way eventually, very likely wholeheartedly willingly. He was hard just from having Wufei on his knees, slipping him bites of dinner with his hands, and she couldn't blame him.

For that matter, Wufei was clearly enjoying himself, giving faint squirms against her toes if she ever stopped her gentle kneading. "Don't worry." She sipped her own wine, and ate slowly. "I will."

There was a faint puff of an exhalation from the man, and he stroked along the side of Wufei's neck, pulling at one of the clasps of his shirt. Wufei's eyes opened, and Meiran couldn't help herself. She leaned down and kissed the tip of his nose and then his mouth, and glanced at Treize in invitation when she pulled away.

She wasn't quite expecting him to lean in to kiss her, a soft buss of mouth against mouth, before he leaned down to kiss Wufei much more deeply, familiarly. Obviously she was going to need better surveillance in his office, at a guess. Just thinking about it made her cross her legs, squeeze her thighs together. 

Treize pulled back slowly, took a sip from Wufei's wine glass, and seemed to have decided on something for himself when he started to slip Wufei bites of dinner again.

Meiran was proud of herself, in all honesty, pleased with her husband, pleased with their pet. What a delight. It was a shame no one had attracted Wufei before now. "Tomorrow's classes have been cancelled," she murmured. She figured it would be nice for them to stay in bed, mostly because Wufei had never done quite this before and she wanted to be sure he had a chance to enjoy it.

No worrying about getting out to the workshop on time. "Thank you." Treize's voice was quiet, like he thought speaking loudly might break the moment somehow. He leaned in again, kissed Wufei once more and unfastened another clasp, leaving Wufei's shirt open while he ran a hand over his chest and stomach. It earned him a moan, and Wufei's hands rose, pressed against his upper arms. Meiran pressed her toes against him more firmly and couldn't keep from smirking when he had to pull away from that kiss and pant for breath.

"Have you had enough to eat?" The question was neutral, not leading.

Wufei hesitated and seemed to consider that question, and Meiran could tell that he wasn't sure. "We can come back to it later if you like, sweet boy." And that seemed to settle the matter because he nodded.

Treize gave her an interested sideways look, lifting an eyebrow at her as he petted gently at Wufei. "What do you want most?"

Oh, there was no question. "I want to see you fuck him. I want him to know what it feels like. And then we'll see what comes next."

He seemed to think about that for a moment, watching Wufei. "Come up, kneel over my lap."

With a low sigh, Wufei blinked for a moment and then moved, raising himself from the floor and settling on Treize's thighs, his own spread wide, knees on either side.

Treize didn't order him to undress -- he started to undress Wufei himself, fingers lingering on Wufei's shoulders, a caress. It was very soft, lingering and lazy as he leaned in to kiss Wufei's chest, hands sliding down to his hips. It was clear that Wufei was enjoying it, and Meiran leaned back, shifted so that she was comfortable. She shifted the remains of their food to the table close by, retaining her own wine glass as she watched.

It was a pretty show, with Treize learning how Wufei responded, the way he sighed when his nipples were tugged. "Stand up and take your trousers off for me."

She could tell that Wufei wanted to tell him yes, the way he told her yes, and she hummed as he obeyed, eyes sleepy, mouth partially open. "You can tell him yes if you want," she encouraged.

"Yes," Wufei sighed, and dropped the last of his clothing to the floor.

"Do you use colors?" Treize reached, pulled him gently closer, back onto his lap. "Or is this just all experience?" Wufei promptly settled himself and waited for Treize to do with him as he liked.

"Colors?" Her brow wrinkled. "I would say it's all experience. When he wants to say no, he says no. Or enough."

"Never been very good at saying no," Treize mused, sliding fingers slowly along Wufei's side, and one hand alone the line of his spine. "You are so beautiful."

"Thank you." It was barely a whisper, and Meiran could tell that he was well into it, which was precisely what she had intended and hoped for. She slid her hand between her legs and pressed the heel of her palm against herself.

She watched him slide his fingers dry between her husband's ass cheeks, then start to glance around the room in search of what she knew was the most important thing just then and she felt smug. Utterly pleased with herself as Wufei gave an unsteady pant of breath, and she reached under the pillow to her left on the divan and dragged out the bottle she'd been utterly certain that they might need.

Treize caught sight of the motion, and gave a quiet chuckle. "Empress. Would you like to apply some?"

Her gaze met his, straight on. "Give me your fingers."

He didn't bend, exactly, but he obeyed, moving his hand from Wufei's ass to hold it out to her, and she squeezed out a fair amount onto them before leaning back to watch. Wufei was flushed as if the pause had been sufficient for him to start thinking again instead of just feeling, Leaning forward, Meiran reached out and stroked her thumb along the line of his jaw, and that was enough to settle him.

Then he was sliding those slicked fingers teasingly down Wufei's cleft again. It left Treize trying to open his trousers with his free hand, and why the man insisted on wearing that ridiculous underwear was beyond her. It was so much easier to go without.

Wufei gave a sound, wispy and barely there, and he was trembling, mouth open, eyes caught on Treize's face and unable to stop looking at him. His hands were on Treize's shoulders, and his knees were well apart, his back arching just so. Treize leaned in to kiss him, again. The man seemed to greatly enjoy kissing, though Meiran preferred a little more nipple play, other things, but the kissing stilled the tremble as he moved his hand just so, like he was pressing a finger in. The catch of Wufei's breath and the tension in his thighs said that he had, and mmmm. She could just imagine how that felt, how much Wufei liked it, and that had her pressing the palm of her hand a bit harder in a slow grind, hips rocking.

She wished in that moment that there were more free hands, but the intensity of feeling on Wufei's face as he concentrated was perfect, while Treize finally got his cock free of his pants, jutting up hard between them. And clearly that was going to be intense, because Meiran was fairly certain that none of their toys came close to it. Just the thought was enough to have her tugging up her skirts and slipping her fingers into the sopping crease of her cunt, rubbing lightly over her clit and having her draw in a sharp breath that released in a sigh.

Treize pulled Wufei closer, guided him to drop a little lower onto his lap, until he was rubbing up against Treize's cock with his own. Meiran watched those fingers move, wrist flexing -- she had watched that in the sword fight and wondered where else those wrist muscles would come in useful -- hand drawing back with care before slowly trying two fingers. They were bigger than hers, and Wufei's head dropped back, mouth open wide in a sharp O. His thighs tensed, and his cock dribbled where it was rubbed against Treize, and he was beautiful. She loved the sight of him and it made her slide her fingers a bit more, one dipping into the wettest portion and then dragging it up and over her clit again, quick teasing little flicks of motion.

There was going to be a lot of fodder to work with, and she wanted to stretch it out. "How do you feel, Wufei?" He kept moving those two fingers, rocking his hips up idly so their cocks kept rubbing a little.

It seemed to take him a moment to pull himself together again and try to answer, and when he did, it was a bit distant. "'s... a lot." Drifty fine, that voice, and she loved when he reached that point. Meiran wasn't even remotely jealous, not when he was clearly enjoying himself quite so much.

"What's a lot?" Treize pitched his voice to match, not to break the moment, and he didn't stop. It was a different technique that she would've used, but that was the interesting thing.

That and watching Wufei's leaking cock.

Wufei shook his head from side to side in a leisurely sort of negative, and then he made a _sound_ , stiffening and then relaxing again.

"His fingers?" she asked, and Wufei nodded then, his breath shaking from between his lips. "They're bigger than mine."

"Just two." Treize leaned in to kiss him again, and said, "Three?" His free hand was sliding up between their bodies, tweaking at Wufei's left nipple.

"Three," she cooed, "and he loves it when you play with his nipples."

That hand motion again, starting to work a third finger in along the other two, a slow action as he leaned down, kissing at Wufei's chest and steadying him, Wufei whimpering, hips rocking as he began to babble, mostly things like _yes_ and _please_ and _more_. Meiran wasn't entirely certain that Treize knew all of those words because Universal was failing her husband, but his prick was still just as hard as it had ever been, and when he sobbed, she stroked three fingers into herself, thumb settling to tease just for a moment.

He had stopped asking for cues from her and was moving as if she wasn't there, kissing, applying a bit of teeth to the edge of Wufei's nipples, sucking, rocking up against him as he worked three fingers in deep and then back out again. "More?"

"Yes," she told him, and Wufei sobbed, bringing his arms up to put them around Treize's neck when he stroked them back inside. "My god, this is better than I thought it would be." And that was saying something.

"So many things I want to do." So many things he'd done, yes, and so many things they'd done that they could introduce to him. Treize kissed at the side of Wufei's neck, fingers slowing, stretching and spreading carefully. "Do you want to hold him?"

"Please," she said, and slipped her fingers out of herself. "Come here, sweet."

At first, Wufei didn't seem to notice, but when she said it again, he turned hazy eyes in her direction, then turned them back to Treize to double check.

"Yes," he said, agreeing as he eased those fingers out, and turned his own body with care, moving Wufei off of his lap with a careful flex of his arms and shoulders, goading him to Meiran.

He went, sprawling out over her, and she slipped her wet fingers into his mouth, humming as he began to lick them clean. "Such a pretty boy," she whispered to him, Mandarin lilting. "So well behaved. You've been waiting, haven't you? Just desperate for it, and now here it is and you have it, and I'm going to watch your face every step of the way while he fills you."

And Wufei sobbed. Sobbed, closed his eyes, and nodded.

She felt him still and shudder when Treize placed a hand on his hip, kneeling between his legs and Meiran's legs. He took a moment to clearly work out the best way to do it, the physics of it as if it amused him, dropping his other hand to stroke at the outside of her thigh for a brief touch.

"Tell me," she demanded, looking at him. "Tell me what you see, tell me what you're doing." While she watched her husband's face, because she so badly wanted to do that, because it was very much something she had hoped would happen one day but thought it never would. "Or if you'd like, there's a mirror in the bathroom and you can see his face, too." She should have thought ahead.

"We have time to do that, too." He wasn't very talkative during sex, another quiet boy, which was almost a shame except he leaned over Wufei for a moment, kissing the back of his neck. "I'm going to fuck him, but I think if you tilt your hips up, Empress, we can get you, too.

Oh, it was such a goddamned delight. Their pet was going to prove himself well-trained, too, and she moved, shoved one of the pillows behind her back, and reclined, shifting her left thigh so that it was against the back of the wide divan. "Wonderful."

He slid a hand between their bodies, hers and Wufei's, stroking over Wufei's stomach and hip because it seemed to delight him from the way his breathing changed, and he guided Wufei's hips down and nudged a knee aside gently, her consort's cock sliding easily into her.

Wufei moaned, and so did she, loving the feel of him in her, the way he filled her up. "That's it," she murmured, kissing his forehead when he was all the way inside. "That's my good sweet boy."

She felt his motion when Treize positioned himself, watching over Wufei's back as the man took himself in hand and looked down for a moment. Yes, she needed more mirrors, needed to see and feel all of it. For now, she cupped Wufei's face in her hands and petted sweat slick strands of hair back from his temple.

"Look at me," Meiran whispered, and his eyes moved to hers, dazed with want and need, and yes, he was so far down, her beautiful boy. So far, and she spread her thighs wider and braced herself.

Felt the first rock, the way he squirmed when Treize pushed at him slowly, stopping after a moment to hold out a hand. "More lube, please."

She handed him the bottle, hands going back to petting at Wufei's face. His eyes had closed, brows knitting, and she whispered to him, "Open your eyes again, darling. Open your eyes, I want to see it when he actually gets into you." When he made it past the push, when he finally slid inside.

He whimpered, voice soft, and Treize placed a hand gently on Wufei's back. "It's all right. I know it's a lot. Just..." He gave a little rocking motion of his hips, and that seemed to finally do it.

Wufei's mouth was open, gasping for breath, eyes damp with tears, and he yelled. It broke in the center, and Meiran clenched around his cock, stroking fingers over the tracks of his tears. "Oh, pretty boy. Pretty boy, yes, can you talk to me? Can you tell me?"

When he spoke, it was in Mandarin, halting, shaky. _"Too m-much. Too much too much, too big, oh, god, yes."_ Yes, and he was shifting his hips uneasily as if trying to adjust, trying to decide which way to go.

Behind him, Treize grimaced, held his hips still, bending over Wufei and Meiran a little to stroke a hand up over Wufei's chest, trying to find a nipple to play with. "Stop?"

"Wait," she told him, gentle stroking her thumb over Wufei's cheekbone. "It's different, isn't it?" she whispered. "I told you it would be different. Isn't it good? Do you want to go on?"

And he nodded, whimpering.

Treize pressed a kiss to the back of Wufei's neck, still petting at Wufei's chest, and she felt when he gave a fractional motion of his hips, testing. They might not even get very far, but he seemed infinitely patient.

And Wufei sure as hell hadn't lost so much as a single bit of hardness. She could almost feel the throb of him in her. "That's it, sweet. That's just it," she whispered, and she wasn't at all surprised when he gasped and tried to pull out, pushing back to Treize.

The other man groaned deep in his chest, rubbing fingers at the side of Wufei's hip as he obliged, thrust in slow and careful. "Yes, yes, you feel so good, Wufei, so good."

"A-ahhh." Wufei sobbed, and then he buried his face in Meiran's throat, and oh. Oh, that was, that was quite good, Wufei pushing into her and making that sound, and then pushing back to Treize, tentative and wanton and not knowing how to say anything that needed saying, she knew.

She was going to have to make him find the words when it was all less desperate, but the back and forth was slow and sweet and Treize braced his thigh against Wufei's leg, straightening up for a moment. She felt the next thrust, driving Wufei in deeper, and he cried out, mouth hot and wet against her throat.

"That's it, that's it, sweet boy, enjoy it. Enjoy it, I knew you'd love it, I know how much you like it, oh, god, do you know?" Meiran moaned. "Do you know how long he's needed this? Do you know how much he loves getting fucked, he's beautiful, you're so beautiful, sweetheart, yes!"

Yes, and Wufei was breathing hard against her neck, so hard as Treize thrust into him, finally starting to move with enough motion that it jarred Wufei against her, that she was getting two rhythms.

It was fine, it was all good, and she slid a hand between them, rubbing at her clit, each jarring push against her hand making it better, making it so much better, and she sobbed as her orgasm hit her, hard, kept rubbing, fuck, fuck, fuck, _yes_!

She loved the feeling of coming around Wufei's cock, feeling him still hard, a little frantic, close but not there, full and thick, and now with their pet fucking him steadily, motions just a little lost in it, desperate, and Wufei caught between them both.

For the moment, she backed off, panting underneath them both. Wufei's arms were caged around her, holding himself up as much as he could, and every thrust was a delicious sort of torture, pressing against her and making her shudder with each motion. "Come on," she whispered to him, hands rising to his face again. "Come on, sweet boy, give it to me, give me your pleasure."

Treize did something, a motion, and she felt Wufei twist, pressing hard against her, groaning suddenly. "Just relax, just let go, it's okay..."

It was okay, and Wufei sobbed, shook, and she knew that he was coming, her hands coming up to pet at him, to ease him through it. "There you are, there you go, shhh. Shh, I have you, we have you."

Their pet went still, a sort of quiet gasping noise, and his hands brushed hers as he petted at Wufei, his stomach, his chest, staying on his knees. "So good."

"Mhm." Meiran petted him gently, finger stroking through Wufei's hair. "He is a good boy. He's my good boy." She smirked lazily, looking up at Treize. "And you're my good boy, too."

That got her a single dubious chuckle, while he pulled out and eased down to sit kneeling on the divan, hands petting Wufei's flanks and thighs a little unsteadily. "We have to do this.... repeatedly."

Ah, and her boy was whimpering, making the sweetest sounds. "Mmmm, yes. Yes. There's water there, if you don't mind." 

He slipped to his feet, dick still half hard, and poured two glasses from a pitcher before bringing them over. It was a shame he was still partially dressed, but she supposed he'd sort that out quick enough. "Empress."

Oh, yes, He would do. He would very much do.

"Sweetheart. Wufei. I want you to drink for me, hm?"

It took a moment, just a bit, and Wufei sighed, lifted his head. He was clearly tired, but he drank while Treize finished undressing, and sat in the free space on the divan, retrieving his wine glass while he let his right hand idle over the back of Wufei's thigh.

"That's it." Her breath hitched a bit when Wufei pulled out of her, and he was looking a bit more like himself, she thought. Just a bit, and she got him to drink some more. "Can you sit up now, darling boy? I think our dear pet would very much like to be a part of things now."

She wasn't sure of that even as she said it because he seemed quite satisfied to be sitting there finishing his wine, looking a little fucked out and content, but now was the time to start training him to better habits. 

Wufei knelt up, shivering a little, orienting on where he was and pinking slightly at the tips of his ears and the edges of his cheeks.

"There's my good boy." Her fingers gently stroked his face one more time. "There you are. Now. Sit with him while I try and get situated." Because her hip was aching, but it was well worth it.

"Bed?" Treize suggested, sliding a hand up Wufei's back while he leaned in closer to encourage the nearness. It gave her room to move the pillow and get herself comfortable as she could. Her cunt was going to be aching in the best way all night.

It wasn't surprising to her when Wufei leaned against him, eyelids drooping, and Meiran simultaneously loved seeing it and hated sharing him. Ah, well. She'd get used to it. "He's sweetest right now. Give him a bit."

"He's down very deep." He sounded unconcerned but impressed as he turned his head a little to nuzzle at the side of Wufei's neck.

Meiran hummed. "Yes. It's more so now, after the war. Before, it took more effort. Something changed. Maybe it was you, maybe it was just the war itself. I don't know. But I'm not sure I've ever seen him this far down before."

Treize coaxed him to sit a bit more comfortably, then set his wine glass aside and grabbed the plate of hand feeding bites. It was all cold by now, but a cold bite of dumpling was nice in its own way. "Give me less credit and the war more. The moon base, perhaps. Hmn."

That was worrisome, in its way. "Yes. I lost track of him then." And she had been doing her damnedest to get to him, in fact. "He would have held himself together quite well." Because that was what Wufei did best. He held himself together, and sometimes he held her together. He was a good man, and he was also her good boy, all at once.

Good sweet boy was a role he could take on to relax, to rest, and here he could have rest, supported and comforted, Treize offering him a bit of food again. "He would have."

Wufei took the bite, and he looked so sleepy. "'s good," he managed to mumble.

Meiran shifted a couple of the pillows,and got comfortable beside Wufei, which was when he seemed to melt against both of them. "You were so good, Wufei. That was amazing." Treize's words were sweet.

Normally, he would have accepted the praise and turned a proud face to it. Now, he ducked his head, and she leaned in and kissed his cheek. "He was. You were beautiful when he took you, cried so prettily." Ah, and then he blushed.

"Did you enjoy that?" It wasn't a leading sort of question, and Wufei was starting to respond a little better as they both sprawled out with him, touching casually.

He nodded, and when Treize offered him another bite of food, he took it, chewing slowly. When he swallowed, he sighed and closed his eyes and leaned into him, a hand stroking Meiran's knee. "Mmm."

The mellow muzzy peace was good, and she let his hands idle over Wufei, close and comfortable while he reclined on Treize, who seemed delighted to just sit there half holding and half feeding Wufei, basking in it.

"'s good," Wufei finally offered, and it was clear that he was sleepy. It was no wonder. "You were right."

"Of course I was right." As if he should have expected anything else.

Treize set the plate on the end table because he clearly wanted to stroke Wufei's side, idling. Wufei closed his eyes and let out a low steady stream of breath. "I'm not surprised you put a lot of thought into this."

"Oh?" Meiran raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"

"High risk, high reward." He smiled when he said it, posture completely... not gone, not under like Wufei still was, but very at ease. "This is the nicest thing I've had in years."

Gently, Meiran reached out and stroked his face. "Good. Perhaps one day it will be the nicest thing you've ever had."

He had smooth skin with just a suggestion of stubble at his jaw. And he leaned into her fingers just a little in a way that said 'yes' more than any words. "Yes, perhaps it will be."


	2. Chapter 2

There was always enough to be done, and yet not so much that dinner together at the end of the evening and nights in bed were dismissed. Adherence to schedules that allowed everyone on the colony to take structured time away from tasks had been one of the most interesting things he'd noted in his time there.

His own spoken Mandarin was still garbage, but it was improving and he could mostly get through a document with a pen, paper, and a dictionary to supplement his vocabulary. 

It had been a year and a half, and Treize had yet to find himself at loose ends, bored, or otherwise feeling abandoned and disconnected.

Nothing on L5 was what he had expected it to be. Not the people and not his situation; and while it was entirely possible that someone could declare it Stockholm Syndrome and point fingers about it, that felt quite far from the truth. Some days he spent with Wufei and some days he spent teaching specialized engineering tasks for some of the more advanced students. Their people were in high demand even beyond L4, so there was a great deal of satisfaction to be had in that, as well.

The mechs were repaired, and he and Wufei had both taken test flights about five months before; and if anyone had seen them or there was chatter about it, L5 didn't push it in their internal news system, and no one had formally reached out to them.

Message sent, Treize supposed. L5 was part of ESUN, but they were going to do as they pleased for their own protection. If that just so happened to include shutting down and not allowing anyone who wasn't a citizen of L5 onto the colony for a year, well. They would just have to understand.

Treize had been so wrapped up in his own life experiences that he had forgotten one very important thing; he had forgotten to tell Vingt.

In a way, it had been very good to have a life to lead, things to spend his time on, a pattern of habits and goals that didn't involve moving and training troops and planning their employment, the contingencies, and what those contingencies meant to the colonies and the world; enforcement, subjugation. His replacement had to have been bored with their lot in life, or maybe everything had been dissolved.

The urgent call coming through the Empress's personal data link was eye catching, though. She was in meetings and Wufei was in the shop while he'd come back to treat a rather stupid electrical burn he'd gotten from carelessness while repairing a generator. 

It was only polite to answer.

Seeing his brother was a bit of a shock. He hadn't expected to hear from him and had honestly forgotten the last time they had talked. "Oh, thank god. You're still breathing."

Not what he'd expected to see on the call. He pulled out the desk chair and sat down, repositioning the screen. "Mmm, still breathing. It's good to see you, Vingt." The last few times he'd talked to him, his brother's... he didn't know, guilt, anger, it wasn't Treize's problem to carry for Vingt, and his calls seemed to bother him more than keep communication going. Vingt was a busy man, after all.

"You could send a letter now and then. Particularly since L5 has shut down on all incoming traffic. I was worried something had happened to you." Ah, yes. Worried. Hm.

"I'm never sure what to say in letters. Spent the week working on generators?" He lifted his hand to show off the sign of stupid. "Everything is very... routine here." And he knew he could imagine Vingt thinking he was being drugged, the moment it came out of his mouth.

"Shutting down one's colony does not precisely suggest routine." He said it as if Treize held personal responsibility for that decision.

"It's a precautionary measure." He sat back in the chair, trying not to displace Meiran's pillows. "The Empress is expecting. Given the general isolation of the population before the brief period of reopening, and the ongoing sickness on L1..."

Well. That did seem to relieve him, right enough. "Oh? Is that so? That must be exciting for them, then."

"It's very exciting. Wufei is a nervous wreck." There was no teasing him about it, either, given the role he had played in everything that had happened, so he had taken on a role of just trying to smooth and make things easier. "I've been banned from teasing him about it because it just makes his nerves worse. But we're trying to keep the Empress... relaxed. I'm afraid I lost track of how long it's been since we last spoke."

"...ah." That seemed to somehow confuse him. "So they've taken you into their confidence since you arrived on L5, then. That's good. I was worried it would be something entirely else."

He tipped his head back, looking around the room, and yes, one could see that the room behind him was large and there was a large bed in the background. "I was worried about that myself for a while, but it ended up being an entirely different situation. You called Meiran's personal device, after all, and here I am answering it."

The way his brother was taken aback seemed obvious. "Oh, I had no idea, I..." And then it was clear that his gaze took in the bed and ah, yes. That was chagrin, he was sure of it. "Treize, tell me you haven't been seducing your way through their colony."

Up to his usual tricks was Vingt's assessment, then chagrin. "No, well. No. I mean, I've had a vasectomy in case it did go that way, because it would've been... questionable otherwise, but it's..." Damn, and the interesting part was he hadn't found a word in universal that hit it correctly. "A Triad?"

"A what?" Ah, yes. His brother had been married since he was quite young, and he had never enjoyed quite the open and interesting experiences Treize had. "Are you implying what I think you're implying?"

"I suppose so. It's very calm and domestic. I've been quite happy with the arrangement," he said, skimming over Vingt's shock. "We've all been quite happy with it."

That expression was complicated. "I can't decide if I should force my way into the colony because you're clearly unwell or if that's just... you."

He considered his brother's facial expressions before he answered, giving his words the consideration they probably needed. "I've been clearly unwell for a long time, Vingt. A long time. This is something... pleasant. It's not a bad retirement for me since I was taken out of the game. I get to have something for myself instead of doing it for someone else."

There it was. Message received, clearly, Vingt's eyes going soft and affectionate. "I'm glad. I've worried about you for quite a long time, you know."

The edge of his mouth pulled up a little. "None of this has been easy. This..." he gestured to the room behind him, "is easy. I have a place here, I don't need to have all the answers. I'm almost sorry you ended up saddled with the title and everything that goes with it."

"Almost." That was teasing, and something seemed to have settled in his brother. It was good that it had, he thought. Much better than if it hadn't, Treize was certain. Particularly if that kept him from forcing his way on colony. "Ekaterine sends her best wishes, by the way."

"Good. And how are things at home?" He wasn't going to lie and say anyone from L5 sent their best wishes because no such thing was going to happen. Meiran had Opinions about Vingt, and Wufei mostly just made sour faces of disapproval because he felt that they should have fought harder instead of just giving Treize up easily as if he meant nothing. They were simultaneously grateful that he had, and so that involved some clear dichotomies.

"Nothing has blown up recently." Treize couldn't tell if that was meant to be funny or serious. Probably serious.

It wasn't as if he meant nothing, but in a way he had. He was an uncomfortable fact for so many people, for family and friends both, and him going away was simply easy and, well. It didn't feel like that there on L5. "Actual bombings, or? I'm afraid we haven't been paying attention to the news."

"Quite literally," Vingt replied. "There's been some unrest, but no more than usual, and the worst of it has been in New Canada. Some of the religious sects are having a bit of a reawakening. Apparently L2's werewolf cult has begun to push its agenda."

"In New Canada." A werewolf cult. He never had figured out how that worked when one was on the dark side of the moon, but it wasn't as if his curiosity was enough to ask someone about it in detail.

"Mmm. On L2. The general message is _we're all going to get along or else._ Some of the other cultists have decided to emigrate. It's been a bit of a mess." And Treize was so glad that it was Vingt's mess and not his own.

He had never been good at the politics there, and Vingt was brighter about it, enjoyed it more. "I think I'll enjoy my ongoing news boycott here on L5, then. It's been much more enjoyable to work engineering projects instead of battle plans."

"So you're happy then. With this... triad thing?" As if he just needed to be sure.

"Yes. It's a bit like being... house pet is the wrong word, but you speak Mandarin, and you could probably read up on the clans. In between everything else you're doing. Everything is very consented. I'm enjoying myself immensely."

"House... pet." And his own collar was engraved with the basic equivalent of _meow meow_ , no less. Utterly preposterous, and yet he'd grown to think it was quite funny, mostly of the way that he'd misunderstood at first. "I have no words."

"There probably aren't words," Treize agreed, chuckling a little. "I come and go as I please, I can pursue my own interests, and I have a nice bed to come home to at the end of the day. I'm being threatened with therapy, and I'm not sure I'll win that argument."

"Threatened with therapy, hm. If they actually get you into therapy, I'll have to send them a fruit basket. Every few weeks for the next five years."

"You're one to talk. You grew up in the same house," he pointed out dryly. And had the same expectations and weight to carry, worse in some ways. Less in others.

Vingt tilted his head. "Ah, yes, but I've had Ekaterine for a very long time. Having a partner to share your burdens changes things. As I expect you now know."

In some ways, yes. He tilted a hand side to side in view of the camera. "Different experiences. There are things that I think it's improper to ask your partners to fix for you. Things that we've experienced that should be handled by a professional." And dammit, he had just repeated Wufei's words. He was going to have to give in.

How annoying.

Vingt looked to the side and nodded at someone off screen. "Yes. Yes, of course." He turned back to Treize. "I'm afraid I'll have to cut things short."

"I'll try to remember to call more regularly. It was good seeing you, Vingt." He lifted a hand in goodbye and Vingt returned the gesture, the call cutting off shortly.

He couldn't believe he'd managed to agree to therapy, even inside his own head.

He sat there for a moment after, turning it over in his head. There were things he wanted to say, wanted to think about, couldn't help but think about sometimes, but it wasn't fair to put it on people who offered him nothing but acceptance and comfort.

"That face isn't one I like to see," Meiran told him from the door. She was only a little over four months along, but she was showing and the pregnancy made her balance a little off, which made her hip hurt worse than it normally would.

"Hmn, Vingt called. Wanted to make sure I wasn't dead." He stood up, running a hand back through his hair. "It gave me a few things to think about. How were your meetings? How are you feeling?"

"Achy," she responded, and moved further into the room, settling onto the divan. "But things seem to be going well enough, and Wufei is getting ready to start work in one of the more damaged sections. We'll have plenty of room for expansion one day." Her hand rested on her belly.

Damage meant engineering work, meant everything from construction to electronics. He stopped to get a glass of water from the sideboard, and brought it to her. "Plenty of room. Apparently the lockdown has caused concern that L5 was.... I'm not sure. I think Vingt understands now."

Meiran raised an eyebrow. "Oh? We were wondering if you would ever get around to that."

"We..." He settled in beside her, thinking about his word choices. "Have things we historically have not talked about." It was the untouched panther growling in the corner of the room, and he'd managed to live peaceably with it for a very very long time. "I tend not to discuss relationships with him, because it was a very funny family joke for a long time until I explained it to him." Ripped a piece out of his hide, more like, because it had been not funny to him that one extra time, hahah, his brother the slut, and then it hadn't been a topic for discussion at all.

Meiran nodded, and reached up to pet his hair as she drank. "Ah, well. Sometimes explaining things to one's family can be difficult. It was obviously at your discretion whether or not to tell him. We were just curious."

"It had honestly slipped my mind; but he knows now." He closed his eyes for a moment, leaned against her fingers. "Hmn. Would you like a massage? I'm sorry, I lost complete track of time."

"As if I would turn down the opportunity for a massage." She smiled at him and then yawned. "I don't remember being this sleepy with Wei-Lin."

It had also been twelve years earlier, before she'd endured serious injuries from his mobile suits. He pulled away just enough to grab the little bottle of massage oil, before settling in comfortably with her robes hiked up. "What was that first time like?"

She hummed and settled on the pillows. "Different. We were very excited, and I was quite needy and wanton." Meiran nodded. "All the time. And my ankles and feet were so swollen that I went everywhere barefoot the last two months."

He very much enjoyed sliding his thigh under the back of her leg on the good side, close enough to feel body heat even if there was no intent but comfort as he slicked his hands. Well, perhaps a little horniness, but the casual and consistent level of contact was deeply satisfying in a way just fucking wasn't. Stroking slick hands firmly over the muscle of her thigh, over soft skin, was just as good as waking up behind Wufei in the morning, when he smelled warm and sometimes sweated in his sleep, skin familiar against his mouth.

When she groaned, it was from the ache and the way he was easing it. "Oh, that's. Yes, thank you. That helps."

So perhaps after dinner he could admit to Wufei that he was right and that he would consider therapy. It was as good a time to start as any, because there was no impossible future when it would be a better time. Because the only thing he could remember about pregnancies had been that one horrifying Christmas when his mother miscarried, and he was fairly sure that his cousin Dorothy would've volunteered for a hysterectomy after that just to never see anything like it again.

It was a miracle none of the younger members in the family had run away to join a religious order. "We'll have to keep an eye on your ankles. It was, damn, I can't remember what it was called."

"It doesn't matter," Meiran informed him, and grunted when she shifted just so and his hands began to soothe across the worst part of it. "I'll spend it with my ankles up and making both of you fetch and carry for me."

It knotted up in her stomach muscles, her pelvis, so it was no wonder it was hurting worse than usual, and he rubbed and pressed with such care at the joint, soothing up. "I plan to read you boring French books."

"Don't read me boring ones. If you must, read Voltaire." She and Wufei both had a thorough education and so that was truly no surprise.

"Well that doesn't make it much of a threat. How else will I inflict Camus on either of you?" He leaned in closer, trying to smooth over muscle that very much wanted to stay knotted.

She laughed, and it had an edge, but then made a sound as it let loose a bit. "Well. You can always tie down Wufei. He might not be able to concentrate on it very much."

"I'm going to read the baby Catch 22 for that." The baby, who had no gender or name yet, but he felt a protective streak for, for both Meiran's and Wufei's sake.

"Mmmm. So long as you're reading to them, I think it's more than acceptable. Read whatever you like. Read to them now if you want. Wufei did with Wei-Lin." And that made Treize melt just a bit inside with affection.

"Can I?" He repeated the pressing gesture, and then took it down to her knee, trying to get both sides. "Never had much experience with children."

"It's easier than you think," Meiran murmured. "Once they sleep through the night, anyway. Wei-Lin was a good baby. Slept all night, never cried unless she was sick. She was..." Ah. That sad look. He had caused that, and the Alliance. "She was very sweet."

"I'm sorry." He kept rubbing, gentling at her muscles, and then stretching back up over her hips because why not do both sides since he was there? "This one might be a delightful hellion."

She laughed. "Ah, in which case, the two of you will be getting up with this one because I'll have that hellion with me most of the day."

"Delighted to. I'll bore them back to sleep with Heller and Vonnegut." It seemed sensible, reasonable, a balance of duties. He let his fingers slide a little lower, pressing gently at her pelvic bone because he knew it felt nice.

"Oh, that's. That's lovely, actually. Bore them to sleep," she murmured. "At least we know they'll be well read."

"Who'll be well read?" Wufei asked, coming into their suite. "Because I'd say we're all well read."

"The baby. Also, you win, I surrender, and I think I could perhaps benefit from therapy." He had her loose and not quite demanding, but just low key relaxing.

Wufei blinked, his head tilting to the side. "I have no idea what I did to bring that about, but it's for the best. We've had arrangements in mind for a very long time. I'll talk to Ko Lon."

Why was he not surprised that they had arrangements in mind? He lifted an eyebrow at Meiran who smirked at him and stretched her hips a little in invitation. He dropped his slick fingers a little and ghosted a touch over her clit. "I was talking to Vingt about how happy I am here."

"You're terrible," Meiran told him, squirming.

"Mmm, and you like that about him, yes?" Wufei leaned in and kissed her. "I certainly do."

He reached his free hand out, and slipped it around Wufei's waist. "How did the survey go?"

"Quite well, actually. There's less damage to the basic structure than we had expected. It will still take time and effort, but I think we're in luck with this section." He leaned down and kissed Treize, too.

It left him feeling warm and stupid and perhaps a little loved. Perhaps that was what love was, feeling warm and a little stupid about a moment, and happy to be there. "Anything I can do to help just yet?" he asked, repeating the gentle touch over Meiran's clit. Wufei was a very creative structural engineer, and he had a couple of very good material engineers as well.

"Hm, no. Not yet. But soon." Wufei's thumb gently stroked at the back of his neck. 

"Ohhh, that.. that's very good, that's good, pet, do keep that up," Meiran encouraged. 

It was very good to be caught between them, turning his hand with care to slip just one finger into Meiran, thumb still a light slick touch on her clit, while he savored just as much the gentle rub of Wufei's hand. He was trying to keep the bandage at least on the other hand dry. Ish.

"What have you done to yourself?" Wufei murmured, sliding in behind him and resting his chin on Treize's shoulder.

That was very nice, too, warm and easy. "I was the least useful of all of us today, and blew a transformer on an old generator I was repairing. I quit early to come back here and lick my wounds." And perhaps in a moment he would lick some other things."

"I'm surprised that's all you've been licking," Wufei teased.

"If someone were to decide on licking, now would be an excellent time," Meiran prompted.

It did mean shifting and leaning forward, away from Wufei curled against his back, but he could have that again and again and that... was perfect. He leaned forward, shifted his thumb to the side to stroke along her labia, and very slowly lapped at Meiran's clit.

"Oh." She sounded breathy, pleased, and there were hands stroking through his hair. He thought they were Wufei's. "Oh, that's lovely."

Agile, strong fingers petting through his short hair as he closed his eyes to better focus on the feeling of skin slick against his mouth, leaning in just that little bit more to suck gently before kissing at the inside of her thigh.

"Did I say you could stop?" Meiran asked, hips rocking faintly. "No. No, I did not." Wufei chuckled, leaning in and pressing a kiss against Treize's ear.

He slipped in a second finger, and tipped his head up just that little bit extra to resume licking either side of her clit, pressure against the side that he teased with.

"Oh. Oh, oh, oh, that's... yes, pet, yes, that's, mmmm, I want, I want..."

"She wants to come," Wufei murmured in his ear. "You do that so well."

Pressure without release, just getting someone on the edge. He could feel her flexing tight against his fingers, so he moved his tongue and just started to lap directly against her clit, and that was obviously good for her, her hand coming down and clenching in his hair, pushing him more tightly against her. 

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, YES!"

He let her steer, and Wufei was close, petting at his hair, and she tasted good, a slip of slick and musk against his mouth and easing the slip and search of his fingers as she clenched on everything she could.

She was panting when he sat up, the pace slowing after a few moments. "Mmm, thank you. That was..." Meiran would clearly need a nap. "That's good."

"Yes." He made a show of licking his fingers, and let a hand idle against the inside of her thigh, feeling deeply pleased as he looked between Meiran and Wufei, and the curve of her stomach so far.

"I think I'll just nap here," she murmured, and her fingers were on her belly.

Wufei gave a quiet noise of agreement, tugging gently at Treize before he leaned in and kissed him. "Nice to see."

Treize very absently pulled her robes loosely over her legs, just for warmth while she dozed, and he leaned into that kiss. "Feeling very spoiled right now."

"You or Meiran?" Wufei teased, and kissed him again, just a light peck that lingered for a moment. "Because I would say that we're all quite well spoiled."

"Let me appreciate it for a moment," he drawled, leaning in to kiss Wufei back. "Always makes me wonder what next."

"As you like." Everything was just so easy. It was almost possible to forget how things had seemed in the beginning.

Every once in a while he wondered about the underlying intangible strangeness of the whole situation, if he had given in to a terrible situation just to make it more acceptable for himself, but he was comfortable and happy and satisfied where a whole world of choice had led him to none of that. He wasn't sure what that said about who he was except that he enjoyed the press of lips against his, and the familiarity and stability was more than he'd had in years.

"Mmm, lunch?" Wufei asked him. "It's a little early, but I wanted to come back and pick up some schematics."

"Sure." He shifted a pillow for Meiran, but she was already dozing, so it was a matter of pulling back slowly, untangling himself and taking a moment to stretch. Somewhere in there, Wufei leaned up and kissed him again, and then pulled away from him again.

"I'll call and let them know we're eating earlier," he murmured, fingers tracing the line of Treize's jaw.

"And after, I'll get back out there and show the generator who's in charge." Treize leaned into the touch, watching Wufei's face.

"Yes, well. That would be you." Yes, it would be, and when he leaned in to kiss Wufei, he did his best to show it.

He wasn't quite feeling it then, but later he would be, when he felt a little more settled. After lunch.

He might not get back to that generator after all.

* * *

This was not his forte.

Wufei was fairly certain that this was absolutely no one's forte, truth be told, but perhaps he was wrong. Perhaps he was, in fact, the only person nervous about this sort of thing.

He kind of doubted it, though.

Meiran was so calm, stupidly calm and not worried at all, which worried Wufei because it felt like a show for _him._ Which made him even more nervous, which made him feel ridiculous.

"Calm down." She was smiling, and she should not be smiling, she should be allowed to yell all she wanted, but she was calm in the hospital room, having contractions. He kept thinking of the last time, and his worry and, all right, panic. His high strung worry over it, and now it was more dangerous than it had been then.

"How do you expect me to be calm?" He had worried about all of this from the start. Yes, certainly they needed an heir, but it was better not to have one and to continue having his wife. Without L4's medical intervention, he wouldn't be in this worrisome position.

And that medical intervention had happened because someone was nosy and liked to try to help. Treize had taken up a position of sort of lurking in the door, as if he weren't sure he wanted to be there for it or not.

"I expect you to be calm because if this goes wrong you're in charge."

Well, there was no denying that. "I know. I know, just..." Just he was worried. He had the right to worry, didn't he? Especially two minutes later when she gave a low sound, and he knew that she was trying to keep it down for his sake.

When the contraction was over, she raised a hand and gestured Treize further inside. "Hovering in the doorway is deeply annoying."

His mouth compressed for a moment, reluctant, but he stepped in, approaching them. "I don't know what to do to help."

Meiran drew in a breath. "Just. Stand here in case Wufei faints." 

He was absolutely insulted by that. So very insulted. "I won't faint. I didn't faint with Wei-Lin."

But that had been years before and they had _lost_ her, and Meiran had nearly died. It wasn't that he was going to faint it was just. So ridiculously dangerous, and he felt Treize's hand on his back, nudging him closer to Meiran. "Give her a hand to crush. I think that's how it goes." The nurses had been back and forth and seemed quite pleased, at least. Ko Lon was calm.

"Sonny, you should both take a deep breath. It will all be fine," the old woman informed them. "You worry too much."

"I worry the appropriate amount," Wufei disagreed, and then winced as Meiran squeezed his hand so tightly that he nearly yelped. Yes, he hadn't forgotten that from last time. 

Treize did take a slow deep breath, hand meandering in little circles against Wufei's back. Ko Lon nodded at him, quite particularly. Possibly it had been a therapy topic, Wufei didn't ask, just let Treize corner him in his office after his sessions with Ko Lon. 

"Shouldn't there be... so so many drugs?" Treize suggested.

Meiran waved her free hand. "I've got this."

"I can't tell if her pain tolerance is very high or if she just truly doesn't want me to worry," Wufei informed him.

"Or both." Treize leaned in, nudged a kiss behind his ear, and then pulled back a little, hand still firm against Wufei's back. "She's lovely. And we may never sleep again."

It was enough to relax him, at least a little. "Mmm. Mhm. It will be worth it," he agreed. And he knew it, he believed it. Unfortunately, he was also worried about all of the worst possibilities.

"We should send them to the waiting room," Ko Lon muttered. "Men. They aren't steady enough for these sorts of things."

"They'll stay." Meiran flexed her fingers on Wufei's hand, and then groaned a little again. "I will not be doing this again. _We_ will not be doing this againnnh."

Ahhh, those were his fingers. Those were his fingers, and why did this hurt worse than being knocked off of his motorcycle?

Ko Lon stood, moving over to the bed and nodding. "I'll check the dilation again, eh?" Yes, right, stuff Wufei did not need to see.

Treize pressed fingers against Wufei's back, stilling and soothing him whether he needed it or not, and perhaps it was good that he'd stopped waffling at the doorway. "This is all sort of novel."

"Novel isn't the word," Meiran grumbled, and then made a funny caught sound.

"There, there," Ko Lon said, and disappeared under the sheet. "Hm. Yes, we're almost there."

"Sorry." Treize's voice dropped a little in a way that made Wufei's stomach twist, and he reached past Wufei to stroke her shoulder.

Meiran grumbled. "You're sorry, I'm going to make everyone sorry when this is over." As if she hadn't been the most determined person in this decision.

"That's why I'm sorry," he quipped, nudging Wufei forward a little, and oh, could he sit on the edge of the bed? And maybe be that little bit closer.

He shifted carefully and just settled onto the edge of bed as Meiran leaned forward slightly, making one of those distressing sounds again. "It's all right, Mei. It's okay." There was nothing to do but wait for it to be over, knowing full well that if it was going to go wrong, there was also nothing he could do, not even sit there. No, but it was going to be fine. It was going to be just fine.

And hopefully his hand would survive the birth.

An hour later, his fingers ached, his entire hand was throbbing, and Wufei didn't care. He didn't care because they had a beautiful baby girl with wild dark hair and the prettiest pink mouth he'd seen. She had ten fingers and ten toes, and all of the appropriate parts in between.

He adored her.

She was snuggled up on her mother's chest, skin on skin, and Meiran was exhausted and holding her in a way that made him remember the last time, unable to take his eyes away.

"She's so beautiful," Wufei whispered, and if his lashes were wet, well. No one was going to say anything to him about it.

Meiran's smile was deeply fond as she reached a hand out and petted through his hair. "You are my sweet boy. Of course she is. And one day, all this will be hers."

"Have to make sure it's in good shape for her." Treize was hanging back a little, but he hadn't left, was giving them what he probably thought was appropriate space.

"Come here, you ridiculous man," Meiran told him. "I can't lie here without both of my boys, can I?"

The look on Treize's face sometimes was priceless; it had been long enough for him not to be a bit stunned now and then, but he still was as he settled in at Meiran's other side, studying her and the baby in a way that made Wufei think he had every intention of actually reading her Camus. "What will you name her?"

"Mei-Xing." Meiran gently stroked through the dandelion puff of their daughter's hair. "Because she will be the most beautiful star in the sky."

And Wufei's chest sort of bloomed in the funniest way.

"Hello, Mei-Xing." Treize was smiling, sliding an arm behind Meiran's shoulders, slightly more supportive than sweated down pillows were.

Reaching down, Wufei rubbed his thumb against her temple. "She's already the most beautiful star in the sky."

"This is going to be delightful." Treize seemed very pleased, watching all three of them and comfortably close now.

Wufei hummed. "You say that now. Dirty diapers and crying in the middle of the night might change your mind, though."

"Better than the wars." He quirked an eyebrow at him over Meiran and Mei-Xing and smiled slowly.

"Well. Yes," Wufei agreed. "Although the wars brought us you, so..."

"Grateful for small favors," Meiran murmured, exhausted but still holding their daughter gently.

"Yes." Treize reached a hand out, and very carefully petted at her fluffy hair. "So, midnight wake ups it'll be."

"Maybe we'll be lucky and she'll be like Wei-Lin." Wufei's heart squeezed just a bit with sorrow even though he was so happy to see Mei-Xing. "She slept all night after six weeks or so."

"That's not bad." He could imagine Treize doing their calculations in his head. Or it might take six months, but optimism kept a person going.

Ko Lon's chuckle was dry. "Ah, but that's never how it works. This one will be a hellion, just you wait and see."

Meiran chuckled, muzzy and sleepy. "Good. Good, then I'll need the extra help to handle her."

"Well, she's related to you," Wufei offered. "I'd be disappointed if she weren't."

And he just couldn't stop touching her, so gently.

"You would be." She pulled him in for a kiss, mouth loose and sleepy. "I need to rest. But look at what we've done, my sweet boys."

They'd done something beautiful, they had an heir for their colony, and they would raise her together. He wasn't sure he could ever have asked for anything else.

Everything was perfect, and as Treize liked to say, didn't that just make you nervous?

* * *

It had taken the better part of four years for Xian Pu to stop calling him a barbarian, which was why he almost regretted that they were arriving to the lunar base for the fifth anniversary of the Accords, because he knew he was likely to do something dumb that would set him right back in her dubious regard.

But he hadn't seen his family in person in five years, more than for some of them, and it was hard not to feel a frisson of excitement to see them and show off _his_ family. And it would be an excellent, delicate political dance, which was another reason to be excited, because the additions to the Accords had been shipped around between the diplomatic offices for the last six months and were fascinating. They had all worked quite hard on them and Meiran was more than pleased with the way things had turned out.

She was even more pleased that he'd agreed to allow her to dress him. No Earth clothing for him, upon her insistence. He wasn't in their entourage, and he'd been... accepted. It was sending a message, and he was aligned with the message it sent, that he was theirs, and not to waste time requesting a termination of his sentence. Because it didn't matter, he had a home and a place and a sense of purpose and it had caused no new deaths since the Eve War. There was no building body count for him to trail behind him, only the comfort of a welcoming bed, warm skin under his hands, both of them wanting him there. 

Therapy had given him the language to understand why he struggled with what he struggled with and why things set him off sometimes, and perhaps a little, why it was as lovely to submit to Meiran as it was to take Wufei down deep and flog his ass a warm red.

When they stepped after the shuttle in the wake of Meiran's red robed splendor, Wufei carrying Mei-Xing, Treize just half a step behind Wufei, he knew the message had been sent.

He just didn't expect to see Dorothy flanking Vingt on the spaceport's red carpet, clearly as his new Deputy, looking a little agog. There was no question what she was thinking; he knew his cousin, even if they weren't related by blood. She was absolutely impressed that he had managed to make his way into the L5 royal court the way he had, and it was entirely possible that she would have so many questions if she managed to corner him. Vingt, on the other hand, looked a bit stunned despite knowing precisely his situation. Possibly he hadn't expected quite the full extent of Treize's involvement to be such that he would be brought in as a full part of the Imperial family. Which was ridiculous, because he made video calls to him every month from Meiran's device, and it was clearly the royal chamber that he was calling from, often with background activity, and more than once now that Mei-Xing was mobile, a curious intrusion who wanted his attention no matter what he was doing. 

"Your Excellency, President Catalonia," Meiran greeted him as the procession stopped in front of them. "I would introduce the Liung Royal family to your Delegation. Emperor Consort, Chang Wufei, who I believe you called Pilot 05 during the Eve Wars. Empress's Third, Treize Khushrenada. And the joy of my life, Princess Liung Mei-Xing." She turned her attention to each of them in turn, but Mei-Xing received a gentle stroke of her hair because she did so love to be the center of attention.

The child beamed, lifting her head prettily to peer up at Vingt and Dorothy. "Hewwo." At three, she spoke Mandarin, bits of English, and Universal. That was said quite prettily, and Treize recognized the imperious sort of tilt to her chin. "It is vewy good to meet you."

Dorothy's smile was utterly genuine. "And it is a delight to meet you, as well, Princess Mei-Xing. And, of course, to see the Empress's Third...?"

He smiled at her, but was not about to speak out of turn. "Of course," Meiran commented, turning to look at him. "Perhaps if now is a convenient time, and then he could rejoin us in our allocated quarters."

"Naturally." Vingt raised one hand as if putting something on offer. "Would within the hour be acceptable?"

"Quite." That was generous given how much work there was to be done; and there would be other opportunities, but he supposed she wanted his head focused on what L5 was leaving the Accords with.

And his tendency when diplomatic visitors did come to L5 of disarming them with his willingness to pinball around them with brutal honesty was helped along when he ran into them in more casual circumstances. It had worked with L4, and L1 in a more recent negotiation, why not Earth?

He caught the glance Wufei gave him, and it was clear that he didn't want Treize out of his sight. No protest came, although Mei-Xing was making a face that said she didn't like it, either. "Ba," she demanded, holding up her arms. "Ba."

Ah, that one was harder, and he stopped for a moment in moving from their entourage to the Earth entourage to gently hug her but not to take her from Wufei's arms. "Ba will be right back," he promised, and repeated it in Mandarin. 

"Empress, if you would follow me, I will take you to your quarters, and the rest of your entourage to theirs as well." One of the Romefeller staff stepped up, polite, precise.

"Of course." Mei-Xing was pouting, but she didn't cry or make demands. Just had that little pouty lower lip expression that always reminded him of Wufei somehow..

It was very strange to watch them walk away without him and he stepped aside, closer to the Earth entourage as Xian Pu and some of her better guards passed, the diplomatic corps members, and a couple of the better engineers if they needed to get out of anything tricky. No more than twenty-five people in all, and every one of them extremely capable.

It was very strange indeed not to go with them.

Stranger even that he was being left utterly alone.

"Well, well," Dorothy purred. "My goodness, you have settled in quite well."

He gave an agreeing hum as he watched them leave without even leaving Xian Pu behind, and then turned his focus to Dorothy and Vingt, and much less so the others in the entourage who were drifting away and only lurking out of curiosity. "I've made a nice home for myself on L5, yes."

"A nice home is one way to put it," she laughed, and Vingt shook his head by her side.

"He's actually adjusted quite well. You see why I said there was no way that he would have any sort of interest in coming back to Earth."

"I do miss you, though." He moved to hug Vingt, who was still somehow shorter than him, which was ridiculous given how tall Hundelt and Angelina had been.

"Always, big brother. I'm pleased that you're happy."

Dorothy laughed. "And I'm pleased to know that you've gotten involved with two very beautiful people. Are they all like that? Because if they are, I do terribly like the looks of the one with the purple hair."

"It took me a while to understand, but yes. Xian Pu and her partners are quite happy, currently with three children." He squeezed Vingt's shoulder and stepped back, trying to see what he was thinking. For the most part, it appeared that he was thinking nothing more complicated than that he was pleased to see Treize happy. And wasn't that something curious?

"So they're all that beautiful _and_ polyamorous?" Dorothy glanced over at Vingt. "I'm abandoning you and moving to L5."

He grinned, lifting his eyebrows at Dorothy. "It's been a good change for me. So, I have an hour -- we should catch up."

"There's tea in our quarters, and they're close enough to the L5 attachment's area that it would give us an extra few minutes," Vingt offered. "Shall we?"

"Thank you." He let Vingt lead the way, half aware that Dorothy was eyeing his robes as they walked. Sometimes he felt like a bit of a peacock, but he'd adjusted a long time ago to Meiran and Wufei's idea of dress clothes, and it was very comfortable in the end. Certainly more so than his dress uniform, which still hung in their closet. Both of them had given him rather jaundiced looks over the intervening years about having worn that to a space battle.

"So, tell me more about this business on L5," Dorothy demanded. "Because my, that does sound interesting."

He laughed at that while they entered the quarters, and Vingt picked up a tea tray, bringing it over to the seating area. "It's just very normal. No one thinks twice about it."

Settling onto the sofa, Dorothy crossed her legs. "That must have been interesting to come into. Why have you never told me about this, Vingt? Because honestly, you didn't look at all shocked, I know that you knew."

Vingt shrugged as he began preparing the tea. "Treize seemed as though he preferred for it to be private."

"It's probably a little salacious to an outsider, but nothing really out of the ordinary for my reputation. It is, however, my family." He lifted his eyebrows at them.

"I'm guessing Ba is some sort of diminutive for Poppa?" Dorothy asked, and yes, she did seem honestly curious.

"Wufei was terribly offended. She calls him Die. They're both variants for father." He settled in, leaning back on the sofa while Vingt passed out cups.

"That's fascinating. So it's communal child rearing or...? I wonder if that would work better than what we've all been doing." She did seem to be considering it quite seriously.

"It works from what I've seen. Never had any experience the other way. Mei-Xing goes to work with her mother or Wufei or myself, and you just know that day it's a bit of a teaching and entertainment day." She enjoyed Wufei's books in his office, pretending to be the boss, and then she enjoyed looking at the computer systems he'd set up and was experimenting with.

Vingt settled back in his chair with his tea. "I never quite thought of you as a father before," he admitted. "It seemed unlikely, all things considered. You were always quite careful about your assignations."

"Yes." He cut Vingt a look, because they both damn well knew why he had always been careful. The mere idea turned his stomach in uncomfortable knots. "And it's been quite the unexpected joy to help raise Mei-Xing."

When he looked back at Dorothy, it was to see her looking at Vingt, and there was something about that expression that unsettled him. "I'm delighted that this has worked out so well for you. When you were originally sent to L5, I was utterly certain that we would never see you again."

"I was fairly well expecting to be put in a dungeon, to have revenge meted out against me, not to be... welcomed." Brought very notably into the family, and he could understand some suspicion about that, but from his perspective and the sheer unbridled horniness of being home with them, he'd had no doubts once he twigged to it.

"Much less welcomed into the Imperial bedchamber," Vingt murmured, and he smiled. "Which I must say was indeed unexpected but which seems to be incredibly good for you."

He could hardly suppress the sly smile that rose to his lips, taking a sip of his tea. "It's incredibly good. And Meiran is showing off." He lifted his other hand to pull at the locked on collar that laid comfortably around his neck. "I expect she'll be proudly showing off the entire time."

Dorothy snorted. "She isn't the only one who appears to be showing off," he was informed. "What does that say?"

"Meow meow, unfortunately." He let the collar rest back in place. "Running joke. Have you been seeing anyone, Dorothy?"

"No one I wouldn't abandon in a heartbeat for the one with the purple hair." One impressive eyebrow arched. "Especially if locking collars are in vogue."

Vingt covered his face momentarily. "...ah."

"You have enough shame for the both of us," Treize said lightly, giving his brother a gentle smile as he sipped at his tea.

"Well, one of us has to have some," Vingt replied.

"It certainly doesn't come naturally to the rest of us," Dorothy sniped, and she wasn't wrong.

"And that, Vingt, is why you're where you are." He was always proud of Vingt for everything he had accomplished, and he was clearly still in power five years out; no one in Romefeller had knifed him in the back. "Do you think this peace can hold?"

Dorothy uncrossed her legs and then recrossed them. "There's been a bit of unrest on Earth, of course. There were a number of the colonists on L2 who emigrated, you know, to New Canada. Most unfortunately, that did trigger some rather interesting... well. You know."

"Mmm. I don't miss that. I would've already been sent out there to put it down." Before he'd overthrown the power structure, at least, and when he had been a useful puppet.

"True." Vingt shrugged. "But we've managed. For the most part, I think people were quite ready for peace, truth be told."

It was as close as his brother was ever going to come to the words _you were right._ "No problems with L1 or L3? I thought Barton was still angling for power after Operation Meteor didn't go the way he wanted."

Oh, that was a look. Most people wouldn't even notice the tiny shift in expression, but he caught it. Dorothy's expression didn't change at all, which meant that she knew whatever it was. "Ah. Yes. Well."

"You're both hiding something." It might have been five years, but he hadn't lost his awareness of how both of them interacted with other people.

"About that." Vingt cleared his throat. "He was, in fact. And he'd made plans to continue onward, but, ah. He came to me and introduced his granddaughter. Who we've taken in as a sort of intern."

That didn't sound like something a Catalonia would do; he'd been the last one anyone in that family had taken under their metaphorical wing, so the immediate words out of his mouth were, "Whose bastard spawn is she, no. No."

Dorothy sighed. "Unfortunately, yes. We think it was when you were injured on L3. We've assumed that you were very high, since we're aware of the care you've always taken."

No. No, that was. He hadn't thought of that in years, more than a decade, a stupid unlucky injury because someone wanted his comms officers dead and he wanted to inconvenience them, keep the comms open, and Noin alive. "No, I've never, there's no... No possibility." Fuck. Fuck.

"Mmm, yes," she agreed. "My face made precisely that expression when we found out about it."

He closed his eyes, and inhaled slowly to a count of four, held it, exhaled to a count of eight or damn was it the other way around? That was why the breathing exercises always failed him, so he looked to Vingt for further confirmation since his brother had gone silent. Not that silent meant he was quiet; he was just keeping his mouth from running off.

"The DNA is solid," Vingt offered. "She's very definitely your daughter. We've just... I knew it would upset you."

He had a hand on his knee, and squeezed it just for a little sensory feedback that yes, Vingt was right, he was upset. And it was one of those daft things he couldn't explain without a graphic history lesson. He wondered what Vingt had told Dorothy. Or more like, what Chilias had told his daughter all those years ago, because he'd been a kind man for their type and family, an honorable and honest man. "Is she in the delegation?"

Dorothy shook her head immediately. "No. No, we didn't think that was a very good idea. In fact, I don't think we'd ever considered telling you. It seemed like a bad idea."

His brother sat back, frowning. "I knew you would find it disturbing."

Oh thank god. That would've been the icing on the fucking cake, and he looked down at the fabric of the robes he was wearing. Probably while he was high on pain meds back on L3. Probably. He had needed time to heal, and he didn't remember a lot of it. It had been a relief to be out of the war for a few weeks, not to have to do anything because his state was one of being obviously fucked up. "You were right." Fuck. At least he'd know what Barton was making eyebrows about if he saw the bastard at the Accords. "Nothing, nothing to be done for it."

"No," Dorothy agreed. "There isn't, so don't fret about it. You have a delightful daughter who adores you, and you were part of bringing her into this world." She clearly presumed, anyway, and she wasn't wrong. "This was something that you didn't know about, couldn't have known about, presumably."

"No, I didn't. I..." He finished off the tea, as if it would wash the uncomfortable feeling out of his chest. "Any other terrible news we should get out of the way?"

Vignt sighed. "No, no. That's the worst of it, I'm afraid."

"Then that's some good news." And if that was the worst thing the meeting had to throw at them, that was... acceptable. It wasn't a real problem, just a problem for his headspace.

"In any case," Dorothy offered, "let's move on to something more interesting and less stressful. Relena declared that mother's favorite tea set is _gaudy_ when she last visited, and I can barely begin to describe the sheer depths of my horror."

Trained like someone truly in the upper classes. "The one with the blue roses and the gold?"

"Yes! Isn't that the most appalling thing you've ever heard?"

Vingt still looked too contemplative to feel entirely at ease, but eventually time was up, and his brother volunteered to walk him to where their entourage had been placed. "You've been quiet."

"Mmm. Yes. Well, I knew that you would find out about Mariemaia eventually, I was just hoping that it would be later." Vingt's hands were held together at the small of his back, his head tilted down as they walked. "And I would prefer not to upset you. You're quite happy where you are." 

"I'm stable enough to handle it." He still didn't want to have to explain, and now he had a name as well. Mariemaia. He watched the tilt of Vingt's head. "How _are_ you? You seem..." Familiar, off, concerned, concerning.

"It's tiring," Vingt murmured. "Without you. That's all. Dorothy is quite good, but you were superb."

He put a hand on Vingt's back. "I sometimes wish I was still here because I miss you." And he wished that Vingt weren't carrying the burden. They had been at it as a team for twenty-five years. "You've been doing this for a quarter century, Vingt. I was... not handling anything well when you handed me over in the Accords. You have five more years of this. It might be time to look at broadening the leadership circle."

That sigh was heavy. "Perhaps you're right. I think that you got the best part of that particular deal."

"I feel like I'm a cadet instructor again, only engineering. And those were rather good years for me." He patted Vingt's back lightly as he went in for one last brief hug. "I mean it, you look... it's a very familiar look. I saw it in the mirror every morning for a couple of years."

"Well, there's only five more to live with, yes?" He returned the hug and pulled back with a small smile. "I'll see you again later, all right."

"All right." He stepped away then, and greeted one of the Nǚjié zú guards, who used the keycard to allow him into the suite.

"Welcome back, Meow Meow." Xian Pu grinned at him from her station inside the door. "You had fun, yes?"

It caught him off guard a little, but she was very good at keeping people on their toes. He waved a hand from side to side. "Family problems. Good to see them, I think it can wait another five years to do this again. Which room?"

She nodded her head to the left. "Empress put Mei-Xing down for a nap. They're waiting for you."

He nodded to her, and opened the door slow and quietly because there were few things worse than waking up a sleeping baby or a sleeping toddler. He was grateful that Mei-Xing found napping to be some kind of religious observance; she had a small bed tucked into the safest corner of his workshop, and occasionally demanded he sit down beside it and read her to sleep. It was utterly adorable, and he frequently spent a significant amount of time just watching her sleep because of it. He had never thought that being a father was something he would be interested in, and now he had a daughter of his own.

He never wanted to meet her.

"Hello, Trei... Oh. You don't look happy." Meiran frowned. "Should I ask Wufei to go and kill someone?"

"Vingt had some news." He shook his head a little as he closed the door behind himself, and looked around the space to get an orientation of it. Meiran had taken the pins out and her headdress off, just to let her scalp get a rest. He wondered if Wufei had undone the decorative topknot. "Nothing I can change."

That stern expression was quite too familiar. "And yet it upset you. I won't make you talk about it, but do you need to?"

He sat down on the Earth's strange idea of a sofa, which sat too low and awkward, and ran his hands back through his hair. "Probably."

She turned fully in his direction and folded her hands in her lap and waited. Because of course she would.

He leaned back, looking at the other closed doors of the space. "I'll wait for Wufei to come back in so I only have to say it once."

"All right. He was just checking on Mei-Xing." Because of course he was, and when he came strolling into the room, his topknot was still in place. Treize preferred it loose and spilling around him in bed, but it was quite nice like that, too. The extra gold suited him nicely, and it added to the impression Meiran wanted to make.

"I've been informed that I have a daughter. Apparently. Barton family, Vingt has taken her in, done the DNA tests." He didn't need to see the tests himself if Vingt had pulled her into the family business.

They both looked a tad startled by that, probably because he'd told them that he had always been quite particular about not having any children. "Oh," Wufei said, blinking at him. "So you're quite sure. Obviously."

"Yes. Vingt thought it was from an injury I received in L3 -- couldn't be moved, spent some time invalid in the hospital there. I... honestly don't recall." He might have galloped through the colonies and Earth, but he didn't just forget people.

"Ohhh," Wufei said again, and his face darkened. Meiran looked back at him, expression bland.

"Oh, indeed. Well. That's something for therapy next week, then." She wasn't teasing, either.

"Yes." He leaned his elbows on his knees, and ducked his head down, hands at the back of his head for a moment, because fuck. "She is thankfully not on the delegation. Vingt won't be trying anything stupid, which I'm grateful for, because they know what happened."

The sofa settled beside him, Wufei's hand gentle on his shoulder. "Is there anything we can do to help?" The best part of having long term partners, Treize thought, was this. The sex was fabulous, and that didn't hurt anything, but having support was priceless.

"No." He leaned into Wufei a little, subtle, but it made him feel a little better. "It's not... Fuck. It's fine. It's complicated." He wasn't going to let it interfere with what he was there to do.

"Everything is complicated," Wufei agreed, petting Treize's hair gently. "But we're all right. It will be all right."

He exhaled, and closed his eyes, managing a laugh. "I know it looks perfectly insane from the outside." Except that his brother and cousin had been trying to keep it a secret from him despite the fact that neither had been very good with keeping secrets from him.

"It's family," Meiran murmured. "And everyone's family looks insane from the outside. At least if you're doing it right."

Or if they were doing it wrong. "Probably. Sorry, I'll... The good news is that neither of them are hiding news about any threats except the problems in New Canada." He couldn't dwell, couldn't think about it, didn't want to go down that particular hole, so changing the topic was a great solution.

The fingers petting through his hair were so easy, so soothing. He could see the look Meiran gave Wufei even if he couldn't see the one Wufei made back at her. "Ah. Well. New Canada does have an unfortunate history with that sort of thing."

"Werewolf cult. How does one even start that on a colony that's on the dark side of the moon?" He felt no guilt over the hard gearshift, because it had been many years prior, and Mariemaia would be, hmn, twelve? And Vingt was taking care of it, which was perfectly fine. He'd taken care of Vingt when he'd been around and able. It wasn't exactly fair, but.

He set his hand on Wufei's thigh, over his robes, half forcing himself to relax. That earned him a press of lips against his temple, and Wufei nuzzled into him, settling comfortably close. "Well, I don't suppose the moon is ever full on the dark side of the moon. I'm not sure how that would work."

"Wouldn't be surprised if it's not a front for weapons smuggling, that's too weird for anyone to look hard at." He relaxed against Wufei, slouching down a little on the weird sofa, and canted his eyes up at Meiran. "Did I miss anything while I was receiving my reminder why I can go another five years before doing this again?"

"Nothing worth mentioning," she told him. "Perhaps we should all take a nap while Mei-Xing is napping. The rest of the day should be quite busy, after all."

It was ridiculous and unnecessary deference to their concern about his mental state, but he wasn't going to say no. He squeezed Wufei's leg, and pulled away a little to get up from the sofa. "That's right, it's still morning here." And it hadn't been morning when they'd left home, because time zones between the colonies had always been a mess.

Meiran nodded and stood slowly, her hip obviously aching from the long trip. "Xian Pu," she called. "Will you help us hang everything properly?"

He checked out a bit while they undressed, and Xian Pu tsked and straightened everyone's robes while they undressed, Wufei helping Meiran. She did need to rest before things kicked into gear later in the day. It was a relief to see the bed was large, even if it had fewer ridiculous pillows than their bed back home. Those ridiculous pillows were good for so many things. It was probably for the best that they didn't have access to as many this time.

It was a bit surprising when he found himself in between Wufei and Meiran; Wufei was almost always in the middle because that was just how they slept. Not today, though, apparently, because they were both settled on either side of him, curled in close.

Dorothy had been very excited about the salacious bits, but ultimately the exciting part was that of being able to rest between them when things went weird and bad in his head, to let go a little and have neither of them call him out for it or draw attention to it, to feel both Meiran and Wufei against him.

Treize closed his eyes, and settled comfortably between them, Wufei's head on his shoulder and Meiran curled against his back, close and comfortable and familiar. The room was dark with the lights out, no artificial sunlight peeking in through the edges of the windows, and it was easier than he'd expected to drop off into sleep.

* * *

Formal wear was, in Wufei's opinion, a pain in the ass. And not just the formal wear from L5, because that at least was comfortable. No, Meiran had insisted that they have Earth formal wear for the final banquet and ball, which seemed preposterous to him in so many ways, but a man had to accede when his wife gave him That Look. It was about sending a message, and the message was that they could do anything the other colonies did, and better. That while they had a highly trained, highly educated workforce, they could export more than tutors. They had shown off their new equipment, mining equipment, hydraulic lifters, all of it faster and more efficient with smoother landing and control systems for getting them into the asteroids in the first place. They had assembly lines in place, small factories, but factories required expansion, which had to be balanced carefully with not upsetting L5's ability to completely self-sustain in the event of an emergency.

All things that they had worked with during the meetings, with Meiran leading the negotiations and Treize stepping up slyly now and again. He had a way of looking at the world, making connections and leaps and guessing a person's intentions correctly that far outlasted the old insider knowledge with which he had arrived at their colony. Wufei had been proud of the entire negotiating team.

Add in Wufei's ability to smell a lie from a distance and they'd come out quite well, on the whole.

"Die." Mei-Xing tugged at his dove grey vest, drawing his attention away from an attempt to tie a bow tie. "I'm pwetty."

Letting the tie rest around his neck, he lifted her up and spun around with her in his arms slowly. "You're beautiful," he agreed. Her burgundy dress belled out with chiffon and sequins, and it complimented her to perfection. He kissed her nose and she giggled, flinging her arms around his neck.

She was going to be a delightful terror all evening. "Mei, you're going to make your father look undone all night," Treize said, coming up behind him probably entirely knotted up and ready, because he'd had two hands free to tie his tie. Also, he was significantly better at it than Wufei, truth be told.

"I could use a bit of help with my tie," he admitted, and Mei-Xing just laughed at them both as he set her down.

Treize tsked gently, and took the fabric in hand, nudging Wufei's chin gently with his wrist to get him to lift it. "I have a long list of things I want to do to you right now."

"I can only begin to imagine what they are." And perhaps it would require getting home to even start, because they certainly hadn't brought their favorite fun things with them.

Then again, they had brought the most fun things, which was themselves. Treize had recovered well from his shock on the first day and hadn't mentioned it again; he seemed in usual spirits, standing very close behind Wufei, close enough that Wufei only needed to lean back a little to distract him from trying to tie Wufei's bow tie from behind.

"You wretched boy," Treize murmured in his ear when he did, pressing his ass to Treize's groin, and Wufei couldn't help melting just a little. That did always bode well, in his experience.

"Mmm, I know. That's why you like me."

"You've just ruined the line of this suit." He continued the precise motions to make the knot which Wufei would never learn even if he were watching it in a mirror because feeling Treize rock against him was what he really wanted. Just enough, just subtle enough that he didn't feel too bad when Mei-Xing tugged at his pant leg.

"Up!"

"All right, beauty, just give Die and Ba a moment. Ba has to make sure Die's tie is in place."

"And I'm sure that's all he's doing," Meiran drawled as she finally exited their bedroom in a burgundy satin gown that ruined the line of his suit just as much as Treize's, he'd imagine. There were sparkling bits appliquéd in places, and it was off the shoulder, showing off every inch of her.

There was going to be no question who the luckiest men in the place happened to be tonight.

He felt Treize's quiet exhalation more than he heard it, the man's hand resting on his chest distractingly. "You're so beautiful."

Watching her lips curve into a pleased smile was intoxicating. "I know."

And she did know because they told her often, as they should.

"Ba, _up_." Oh, she was changing her tactics. Since Wufei's tie was now in a neat bow, Treize pulled away a little and bent down to pick up Mei-Xing. Whatever had set him off earlier in the week, he had no qualms about doing whatever Mei-Xing told him to do.

"Wufei, help me fasten my necklace." It was diamonds set in platinum and probably worth a small fortune, all things considered. She had forgone the more traditional jewelry, choosing instead more European style jewels. It certainly flattered her, from the necklace to the delicate tiara and accompanying earrings and rings.

Things they had brought from home with them, things her mother had brought with her, sewn into hemlines when they'd been ordered to leave. He didn't think anyone but the L5 delegation would know that. Treize lifted Mei-Xing up and walked toward them while Wufei obediently fastened it. "And look at your pretty Ma."

"So pwetty, Ma," Mei-Xing told her, reaching out to trace one finger over the teardrop shaped diamond that fell perfectly. "We'we all so pwetty."

"Yes. We get to see what the other pretty people are doing, hmn?" Or at least the other interesting people. The delegation from L4 would probably shine because Quatre was a vain and cunning man and he'd never really gotten over that. Perhaps they'd all be in traditional dress, but Treize suspected everyone would be going in Earth formal dress.

"You're our beautiful ladies," Wufei assured them both even as Mei-Xing turned an eye on Meiran's tiara.

"I want one," she said clearly, little lips set in a pout.

Treize petted at the hair on top of her head. "They're heavy and hurt if you have to wear them for long. You don't want your head to hurt, hmn?"

"Then why does Ma weaw one?" Why was the single worst question in the entire world.

"Because Ma is a head of state," Wufei told her. "And one day, so will you be."

It felt like he'd said enough to steer her away from it, and Treize gave her a spin, pivoting on his heel just fast enough to make her dress flair and distract her. Wei-Lin had loved being spun, too, and unless she was in full meltdown it seemed to make Mei-Xing giggle. "Well, are we ready?"

"I believe that we are," Meiran replied, and her chin notched upward, posture straightening. "Well, gentleman. Daughter. Shall we?"

"Yes, Empress."

He fell into the half step behind her parallel with Treize even before they left their quarters to walk down the winding hallways of the base to the ballroom. He supposed once it had been a gym or a meeting hall for the units who worked there, but there was no hint to its prior purpose unless someone had been there before. Treize would know exactly what the space had been, if he asked.

It didn't matter now; the place had clearly been set up for precisely this sort of event by now, and there were other people already there, men in tuxedos and women in a variety of colors and styles. None of them came close to his partners, at least in Wufei's opinion. The sheer pleasure of knowing it made him utterly smug.

"Wufei!" That was so loud, so, so very loud, and impossible to forget as Duo jogged up to him in a tuxedo. "Look at you!"

"Look at you," Wufei returned, and wasn't surprised when ebullient arms were flung around him, Duo laughing. "You look good."

"Man, you look better." Duo crushed him in a hug for a second, and stepped back to eyeball Meiran, Treize, and Mei-Xing. "Ma'am. General. This is surreal as hell."

"Surreal?" Meiran raised an eyebrow, gaze raking over him. She'd always appreciated good-looking men. "To be back on the lunar base in this capacity, I take it."

"Yeah, we weren't welcome guests the last time we were here, huh, Wufei?" He was eyeing Treize with all the suspicion he would have given the man five or six years before, though Treize seemed amused.

There was no helping the smirk that snuck over his face. "I can say with absolute certainty that I'm surprised we were allowed to return at all, considering."

Mei-Xing made a sound, clearly wanting to be put down, and Treize did so. She promptly made her way between her parents to stare up at Duo. "You'we pwetty."

"Yeah?" He crouched down to get at her level, pulling his braid around. "Thanks, kiddo. You look a lot like your parents, who're pretty awesome people. I fought with your dad in the wars." He gave Treize extra side eye, before looking back down at Mei-Xing.

She took hold of his braid and gently tugged at it. "I like youw hair. I'm going to mawwy you," she decided.

He laughed, let her tug at his braid. "My girlfriend might protest. You could probably fight her, though."

"I would win. Die and Ba and Ma awe all teaching me," she assured him seriously.

"Uh-huh. That's kinda a seriously scary thought because your dad's super good. Die? Ba? And I never fought your Ma, but you know, there's stories." Duo gave Wufei eyebrows. "You got time to catch up later?"

"Yes," Wufei agreed, and caught Mei-Xing's hand with his own. "Come along, sweetheart. We have to meet some people."

He wasn't surprised when she looked up at him and frowned. "But I want to stay hewe."

"I'll see you again." Duo straightened up, taking his braid with him, and grinning over Wufei's shoulder at Meiran. "Nice to meet you, too, finally, ma'am. Wufei never talked a lot, but when he did it was about you."

"As well it should have been. And you must be Duo Maxwell. I believe the exact phrase was _chaos personified_?" Meiran's mouth was a beautiful curve, and Wufei thought that they'd have a fourth if he were at all inclined.

He wasn't inclined, but it amused him that Meiran was turning up the charm at Duo. "Sounds about right, yeah. And..." He shook his head a little, extending his hand to Treize. "I have no clue what's going on here, but I guess welcome to the right side of shit?"

"Thank you. I suppose."

Wufei rather thought that Duo didn't get it, precisely; what Treize was to them. That was all right, he thought. They'd get that settled out eventually, mostly because he knew that Meiran would want to lay claim to him publicly.

"Mmm, yes, well. He's quite amazing, in fact." In more ways than one.

Duo went a little wide eyed, and it didn't help when Treize smiled slow and sly in response to that. "Shall we find our table?"

"Yes, I quite think so," Wufei agreed. "Tell Duo goodbye, Mei-Xing."

"Goodbye," she said quite clearly. "Wemembew, I'll mawwy you."

Duo laughed again and then patted Wufei on the shoulder. "Enjoy family time or whatever. I'll catch up with you later." His grin was easy, always bright even when it wasn't called for, and Wufei watched him go to join his delegation.

Werewolf cults. L2 was always going to be beyond his ken.

"Right," Wufei declared, leaning down to take Mei-Xing's hand. "Let's go, princess. I expect that we should find our seats before the speeches kick off, hm?"

"Yes." She was imperious, and delighted as he led her to a round table that was labeled for them. He caught, as he turned around to wait for Meiran, the sight of Treize touching her low on her back, leaning in to whisper something in her ear.

It was enough to make him curious, mostly because they were usually plotting against him to his own delight.

"Here we go, princess." There was even a booster seat already in place for her, so he gently settled her on it and kissed her forehead. "Think we can manage?"

"Yes." She was kicking her feet a little as he pushed her chair in closer to the table, where she was seated between Wufei and Meiran. Treize looked at the table and swapped a couple of name tags around until he was sitting beside Wufei rather than awkwardly on the other side of the table.

"Hello again." He smiled up at Treize, pleased with the name tag shuffling.

"Fancy meeting you here." He leaned in to kiss him, not a polite hello of a kiss, but a slow, comfortable press of Treize's mouth against his, a proper kiss.

By the time he was done, Wufei could barely keep the moan between his teeth. That was quite good, and Meiran was looking at them with utter pleasure at the sight. "I have the best looking men in the entire room," she informed them. "Aren't your fathers the best looking men here, darling?"

Mei-Xing considered the matter. "No," she decided.

Treize laughed, quiet, a hand low on Wufei's back for a moment before he let Wufei move away to pull out Meiran's chair. "You liked that braid, huh?"

"Poppa's bwaid is pwetty, but Duo's bwaid is pwettiew," she told him with a firm nod, feet still swinging under the table. Meiran had insisted that his hair be worn down. Wufei had told her he couldn't bear to have it in his eyes, and she'd promptly sat him down and done a quick job of braiding part of it back instead.

"Mmm. You're going to be a terror when you grow up," Treize declared not at all reassuringly as everyone settled down at the table.

"Yes," Mei-Xing agreed, and Wufei had to lift his hand and cover his eyes, head ducking down to hide the fact that he was biting his lip and trying not to laugh.

It was best not to encourage her and it was already probably far too late not to encourage her. 

There was already waitstaff circulating and it looked to be a peaceful sort of evening, as the rest of the table came from their own delegation. He saw Heero and Trowa come in with their delegations, saw Dorothy and Treize's brother come in after them. He was fairly certain that he'd never seen a décolletage cut quite so low before in his life, and she was eyeing their table with a greedy expression.

Treize didn't react though he smiled at his brother, that insensible fondness still there despite everything. Dorothy was certainly cut from the same cloth as Treize, down to the eyebrows. Well. And the décolletage. If Treize had breasts like that, he'd absolutely be wearing something that revealed every perfect inch of him, Wufei had zero doubts.

There was a brief respite of wine or water being offered and then Vingt took the stage to put on a bit of hello, the formal part of the evening.

All things told, it was a perfectly acceptable gathering. The food was lavish and the wine was quite good. The company was better because their little princess prompted adoration every time someone looked at her, and Wufei was obviously in the company of the best looking people in the gathering.

If he had to return to the lunar base, this was clearly the best way to do it.

Meiran looked deeply pleased, satisfied, and he wanted to bottle that satisfaction -- the meetings had gone as she wanted, and L5 was the colony it always should have been. Things would be going well enough for her, for them, that they would have something amazing to leave for Mei-Xing and all of the colony's children to come. That was more comforting than anything else Wufei could imagine. It was such a relief that he perhaps drank more of the wine than he should, which left him loose and generally pleased with the world around him.

He leaned into Meiran and got kissed for his trouble, and when he was closer to Treize, he also got kissed for his trouble, until he was fuzzy with it, and wine, and delighted.

"Hey, Wufei!" Duo was back.

"Hello, Duo." He was perhaps smiling more than he normally would at this sort of function, but that was quite all right. He was too tipsy to hold it back and he'd always rather liked Duo. They'd spent a frankly appalling amount of time imprisoned in this place. There had been time to get to know one another, and Heero, too.

The wars, Operation Meteor, Operation Pleiades, it had constantly been a jumble to figure out who was on whose side and what each other pilot was up to, at least until they all finally came to the idea that their side together seemed to be the most likely to succeed. "I wanna drag you over and get a picture."

That didn't seem unreasonable. "Are we all going?" Because that would make sense, for all of them to have their picture taken together.

"Yeah. Yeah, I got, I got, see?" He gestured to where Quatre and Heero were standing off to the side. It was entirely possible he was tipsy, too. "C'mon."

"I'll be back," Wufei promised, and wasn't surprised when that earned him a kiss from each of them in turn. Hm, he was a lucky man, and he leaned down and brushed a kiss against Mei-Xing's forehead. She had fallen asleep not long after dessert, her head pillowed on her arms on the table. She was a terror and a wonderful child, all at once, and he was looking forward to going home to his own bed and showing Meiran and Treize just how gorgeous they were all dressed up.

Duo slapped him on the back as they walked away. "Man, I could not figure out what was going on there until he kissed you, I don't know whether to high five you or what."

"Oh, you should definitely high five me," Wufei replied with a smirk. "You have no idea."

"Yeah? I mean, sides of the war aside, he always seemed kind of crazy, maybe, in a nice weird about reality way. Tell me he doesn't give speeches. They replayed his _'I want to be a loser'_ resignation speech on the history channel last month, and I just thought, holy shit, we're history."

"Terrifying, no?" Wufei shook his head as they strolled toward the corner with the other pilots. "But he is rather amazing. He's become a core part of our work and part of the teaching staff, actually."

"And he's sleeping with you. With both of you? The cute baby's yours, right? She looks like yours, I mean." Quatre waved a bright hello, looking nice in his suit which suspiciously matched Trowa's, and clearly someone (possibly Relena) had dressed Heero because he had that certain Sanc touch. Slightly out of date. 

"It's good to see you." Quatre beamed even though they saw each other rather regularly.

"As always," Wufei agreed, and they grasped hands, the two of them well familiar with the gesture.

"We made it," Heero agreed, crossing his arms. "Didn't think we were going to."

"None of us did. That's what makes this special." Trowa gestured the camera man over, and he moved them up against a door, and then stopped and opened it, because the space inside was brighter. 

It looked like an old monitor console room that had been gutted but only loosely refinished. "This is much better. If you stand together against that wall..."

A shiver worked down Wufei's spine as they began to move, and it was fairly apparent that he wasn't the only one. The place was full of bad memories, so there was no wonder, but then he looked at Trowa and saw the wide gleam of his eyes, and he wondered if that was all it was.

And then the man stepped outside and shut the door in one smooth movement.

"What the shit?" Duo was scowling, and yeah. They were all keyed up now, and didn't know where to jump first.

Heero jumped at the door first, slamming his fists violently against it, and maybe someone in the busy banquet hall would hear. "No, no, no..." Quatre moved for the door next, while Trowa started to check the walls for any useful panel he could rip off.

Now would be a great time to develop the ability to contact someone psychically.

Wufei moved to the old monitor console and began to pull at it, looking for anything they might be able to use. It was easy, working in concert, almost as easy as he remembered it being. He started to feel a little dizzy, a little light headed while he pulled and checked what it might be because there had to be a door release from their side, there had to be. Only nothing was _there_ , everything was gutted, and obviously this was planned.

He stood up abruptly. "The air's going too fast. We have to stop. One person at a time yelling, the rest of you, lie on the floor. Breathe as shallowly as you can for as long as you can. Who can hold up to yell the longest?"

"I got this," Duo declared, getting up close to the door, and he really did have a loud voice, an obnoxious howl of a voice in such a small space. There was a coldness to the space that told him it wasn't just being sucked out, but vented -- maybe with some control, but vented out to space.

And then they heard the banging on the other side of the door.

Thank god. Thank god, someone heard them, and Wufei had to work hard to control his breathing just then, to keep himself under control, because he knew that Meiran would be panicking when she figured out what had happened. He hoped that someone took Mei-Xing back to their rooms. She didn't need to see this.

He could go calm, meditate, he'd be fine, he could blank himself and just take the smallest breaths he needed, and he could hear the noise outside, someone taking something heavy to the door.

It was so cold, now. So cold, and even the shallow breaths were hard. He couldn't hear Duo anymore, and Wufei wondered if they were going to make it in time.

He wondered if....

* * *

"I want answers. I want them now. And I want the perpetrator for myself."

Livid was not the word.

Terrified and fucking furious and needing someone to take it out on was more like it.

"We've locked down the base. No one has gotten off of it and my men are doing a room to room search. We just need your delegation to stay in their rooms while we do this systematically." Vingt reminded her a little of Treize but his demeanor was more high strung and it gave her no confidence in the man.

"I don't think you understand," she replied. "I will not be returning to our rooms. Treize will not be returning to our rooms." Leaning forward, she hissed furiously, _"I want him."_

Treize had disappeared almost immediately to join the hunt once he'd helped to haul the bodies out of the room. The room had been venting oxygen into space and a leak like that could consume a facility, so there had been some hasty work to get it to _stop._

"We have to find him and then whoever he was working with," Vingt said, sounding desperate.

"I don't think you understand." And she was running out of patience. "When he is found, you will _give him to me."_

"Empress, he's nearly killed four of the five Gundam pilots. We'll... There will have to be a trial." He stood up and tried to edge for the door.

She stepped in front of him, preventing it. "No. There won't. Because there won't be anything left when I'm done."

"Empress, that's reckless and we need to find out who paid him, or... Or it could happen again." He sidestepped, lifting an eyebrow at her. "I need to work, and see what we've found so far."

"He will tell you everything you ever wanted to know by the time I'm done with him." Because she was going to fucking eviscerate him for trying to kill her husband, who was even now teetering on the brink.

If he died. If she lost him. If...

If. She couldn't think about it, not yet, wasn't one to anticipate loss when she had already lost so much. "Let me see if we can find him quickly and then we can argue the finer points."

"Fine. Fine, but I will have him, Vingt Catalonia. I will have him." And she would, or she'd tear him apart trying.

He put his hands up slightly, half a gesture of surrender she'd seen Treize make before when he didn't want to engage in a fight, or just expected something to go south, and quickly. "We're going to do the best we can as quickly as possible."

Drawing in a shaky breath, she drew back, teeth clenched. "Don't think I won't make you regret it if you don't give him to me, Catalonia. I will find a way."

"I have so many regrets right now, Empress." He turned away, posture a little stiff as he took himself out of the med bay. It was very likely not how he wanted the week of negotiations and planning to end. It wasn't how she wanted Wufei's life to end.

Now that she didn't have anyone to fight, she could feel the tears begin to gather. She had to clench her jaw and try to bite them back because she didn't want anyone to see that. Fury was fine. Sorrow was not. There was nothing to do but see Wufei looking small and unresponsive in a hyperbaric chamber. They had them on the base because it was a common enough need for a pilot suffering some degree of decompression sickness.

If he died. If he died....

"Need some help tearing whatever asshole it was apart?" That was the other woman, the one who was dating Duo Maxwell, she thought.

"I will not need help." She knew that if Treize got his hands on the man, he would... he would do something, hopefully not hand the man over to his useless brother.

She would have to count on that.

"Let me rephrase." The woman held out her hand. "Hilde Shbeiker. If I can't help, then I at least want to watch you rip him apart."

"That, perhaps." She didn't take her hand, just returned her attention to Wufei's chamber where it was in line with the others. "I wonder what spiteful bastard from the war could not let go."

Down the way, Relena Peacecraft was standing silent and strong, and she lifted her head. "Whoever it is, I hope that they suffer." And if she had that to say, well.

Meiran was fairly certain that Vingt Catalonia would have no choice but to hand the culprit over to her.

* * *

The work on the new base had been layered over top of the old base that he remembered, a revision of wartime facility on top of desperate repairs layered over with the sort of general office and meeting place neutral control zone it was now -- a comms center, not quite a battle center.

There were nooks and crannies everywhere.

Dorothy was behind him, and her datapad pinged. "Whoever it is," she told him, "he's damned good at avoiding all of the cameras. Which means he knows far more than I'm comfortable with him knowing." 

"Or he's any one of the thousands of soldiers who spent four months to a year stationed here," Treize deadpanned. "How else does one smoke or drink on a moon base where both are banned?"

"We added cameras before this event, so at least that should help us cut down on the number of people who are aware." She was scowling. "I'm sorry, cousin. I am so sorry."

It wasn't time to let his mind engage just then. He stopped to check a door, to open it. "Someone who already worked here or someone who came with your delegation, I wonder? Have you accounted for all of your people yet?" Or was Vingt getting a headcount done?

"Mmm, yes. We have them all lined up so that we can at least compare clothing to what we saw in the observation video. Not that it's all that helpful, honestly, since so many were wearing black. All we know is it's someone male with brown hair so far. They're checking all of the new cameras to see if we've caught a better glimpse of things." She was still wearing her dress, and Treize feared that he'd catch a fair glimpse of something he did not need to see if she bent over just right.

"So if I open the door where the bastard is hiding, you're going to...?" He prompted, turning on the light to the room and checking the space.

"Use my dress to strangle him on the spot?" Dorothy suggested. "It would be a kindness. If your Empress gets hold of him, I expect she's going to take him apart piece by piece."

He felt his jaw clenching, because that was a little too jaunty for his taste just then, a little too dark humor for the sake of it, which was fine at a dinner party. It was less fine when he'd taken a gun off one of Vingt's bodyguards and held the man's wrist in a position that had reassured him he would break it if he wanted to make a fuss about the gun. "We'll do this structured."

"As you like." Which was her way of saying she agreed, he supposed. And honestly. If they found him, he wasn't sure there would be anything left for Meiran to take apart.

Nothing in that room. He checked the ceiling and the side panels, and left the light on before moving to the next door. "The possible repercussions of this..."

"I know," she said. "I really do know." And he was sure that she did. She was good enough to replace him, and Vingt trusted her.

"Not just us." But it would be them. He couldn't think about it just then, but their stance on interacting with the rest of the colonies, with Earth, it was things like this, like killing the Yuys, that set off thirty years of war. They simply needed to live. 

Wufei needed to live.

"Yes." Dorothy's datapad beeped again and she raised it, flicking through. "They've gotten a partial side profile. They're trying to narrow it down."

"Show me." He stopped, looking over to her and listening; listening to the constant background hum of machinery, of other voices, looking for something, anything that was out of place.

She held out the datapad for him to view the information. "There's more footage to view, but this is what we have so far."

He studied it, played it out slowly, and didn't recognize it. None of the men who had been close to him, no one from his splinter faction, he was willing to wager. No one who could have justified it that way, and he handed the pad back to her, shaking his head before he moved to the next door.

No luck there, either.

They moved swiftly. Each room, each closet, everything was empty. Treize's frustration and worry rose with every one. It wasn't as if the person would be able to get off the base, but what kind of havoc they might wreak before they did or who else they might attack since they were already well cornered were still unknown. Or who or what delegation was hiding them. "Are you sure you had a headcount?"

"Yes," Dorothy replied. "We have all of the delegations housed in their own quarters aside from the..." Yes. Significant others.

"And have all the staff been accounted for? It's a space base, someone got him here." He checked the next door, but his frustration was mounting.

"Treize." Her voice was gentle. "Maybe you should go to the med bay."

He didn't answer her, jaw clenching, trying to push down his anger because she didn't understand, Wufei was, he was important, to more than Treize and Meiran, but...

He heard very softly the sound of rubber on metal.

Dorothy obviously heard it, too, because she pulled a taser from the bag she was carrying and backed herself up against the wall beside the door. She nodded at him.

He disliked using a gun -- it simply wasn't his preference, but it suited the task; either the man would surrender or not. He pushed the door open and found the main room itself empty except for storage, extra supplies, the sort of room a gunny would keep all sorts of useful contraband in. He stepped in quietly and pulled one of the interior panels open to grab at an ankle that was in reach.

The yelp that earned him was ridiculously satisfying, particularly when he gave it a tug and a soldier with dark hair and a pair of glasses an inch thick came into sight with a yelp. "What the...!?"

"Everyone accounted for?" Treize asked Dorothy, grabbing the man by the collar, pistol jabbed up under his chin.

The guy threw up his arms. "I was looking for a wrench! They've got me working on the vent system to be sure it wasn't completely sabotaged!"

"Check this, now." He kept him pinned against the wall, looking over his shoulder at Dorothy.

It took a moment before she nodded. "It's legit. Give me your hand, soldier." The fingerprint scanner flashed into place on her datapad.

Treize didn't move, so there was an awkward moment of her leaning in, and scanning his index and pinky fingers. It beeped green, and Treize stepped back, out into the hallway. Fuck. Fuck, and he covered his face with his hands, took in a deep breath.

Fuck.

By the second deep breath, he settled the pistol back into his tux jacket, and made his way to the next door. 

He wasn't going back to the medbay empty handed. He wasn't. Meiran would never forgive him if he didn't bring someone back to her.

"Treize." Dorothy's hand was gentle on his upper arm. "Dearest. Perhaps you should be...."

"We're going to clear this sector," he said calmly, flatly, pulling his arm away just as slowly, "and then we're going to check the other sectors because I don't trust your people."

"All right," she said finally. "All right."

And maybe, just maybe, that would be enough to keep him together for the time being.

* * *

In the end, it was one of the Maganacs who found him first -- trying to get into the air ducts in another sector, so Treize hadn't been entirely out of his head when he'd pulled that idiot technician out of his hiding place. But there was... There was nothing to be done just then, leaving him to head back to the medbay.

It was the last place he wanted to be. The last place any of them wanted to be, and he had to pause outside for a moment before he went inside. Just a moment. Just long enough to try and pull himself together to prepare for whatever he might face.

When he walked in, Meiran's head came up, and he could tell that she was struggling. Her face was a momentary grimace before she managed to pull herself back together.

"L4 secured him. Interrogations have begun to see who else was involved and the delegations are still otherwise in lockdown." He wanted to ask how Wufei was, but the line of hyperbaric chambers, all still occupied, told him how he was.

She nodded. "I want him," she said. "I want him and I want Wufei's sword." Yes. Well. Treize rather wanted those things as well.

"Yes." He sat down beside her because she was seated away from the others in the room. He leaned forward to put his head in his hands. Fuck. Fuck. "Let's see who else they find."

"Come here." It was demanding, and she was gesturing to him. 

It was a familiar gesture, but they weren't at home, so that was perhaps why there was a delay in responding. He was numb and worried and Wufei was encased in glass or high pressure plastic, he wasn't sure, and nothing made sense because it had been such a nice evening. Everything had been going so well, and he'd just stepped away for a picture with his comrades in arms.

He shifted, slipped off the chair and sat at her feet, careful not to sit on the fabric of her evening gown when he did so.

Her hands stroking into his hair gently weren't at all unexpected. If anything, they were welcome, and probably soothing for both of them. The worst part was that he was sure it was going to make him cry if she kept it up, and that felt like a terrible thing just at the moment.

Treize leaned in, closed his eyes, and tried not to... let go. Mei-Xing was safe with Xian Pu, even if she wouldn't be happy about it. Hopefully she was still asleep and hadn't yet realized everything in the world had gone sideways. He brought a hand up to rest against the back of Meiran's leg, and swallowed. "Have they said anything?"

"No. No. Heero seems to be coming around a bit, so there's hope." There was always hope, but Heero Yuy was practically indestructible.

He nodded and then leaned his temple against her knee. If never going off colony again were an option, he was sure that none of them ever would have again. The fun of it, showing off and basking in a low-threat victory, none of it had been worth what had happened, even if they hadn't predicted it.

Each stroke of her hand made it all seem worse. He felt unbalanced, the entire thing unwieldy and impossible. What would they do without Wufei? What would happen? Being petted just made it worse because he wanted to cry but he couldn't. He couldn't because they were in public, and he didn't want to chance Mei-Xing coming in and seeing him, becoming upset before she even knew what was happening.

She was a very emotionally intelligent child and she picked up on cues quickly so it was just as well that her family was usually in good spirits. Waiting, waiting for some kind of improvement in Wufei, news, news of _why_ , wasn't helping, because there would be no _why_ their attacker could provide that would justify his very elegantly executed revenge.

He had to have known that he would be caught, that his revenge would be short lived. Treize didn't see how it could even be worth it, all things considered.

Meiran's fingers paused and it caught his attention. He looked up and he could see her eyes glaze over with tears momentarily, her head lowering to hide them from anyone who might come into the room.

He had no reassurances to give her, nothing he was willing to say that he would believe because _'he'll be okay'_ was one of those statements people said that were so vastly disconnected from reality, as if the strength of their need to be spared from loss could move the universe. Nothing worked that way. He did shift, getting up from the floor to sit beside her, to give her space to hide her face if she wanted to, reaching fingers to wipe her cheeks.

It was almost her undoing, he thought, because she hiccoughed then and did press her face into his lapel. Treize didn't think twice before pulling her into his lap and pressing his own face against her hair, ignoring the strange press of pins and jewels from her updo.

They would simply deal with whatever happened. Whether he was fine or not or if he... They would simply deal with it. He had seen decompression sickness go a few ways over the years, seen the whole range of what could happen from death to brain damage to completely bouncing back to the one old sergeant of his who was left deaf in one ear with tinnitus and a limp that made one think of a stroke. 

Talking about those experiences wasn't useful so he simply held Meiran instead.

They weren't interrupted. No one stopped and asked them anything or tried to tell them anything in particular. It was for the best because they didn't need anyone just then. They needed for things to be all right, for Wufei to come up from sedation and be fine.

They didn't need to have anything explained because they were all aware of the risk of living so close to the cold vacuum of space. It was simply a grim waiting game as he sat pressed close to Meiran, breathing, watching the chambers over her shoulder as she tried to control herself.

When she finally stopped shaking, she drew in a gulp of air and then let it out slowly before drawing herself up. Her eyes were dry, or at least mostly so. She seemed exhausted, and so was he, if he were being honest about it. "They could be doing worse," she murmured, which was not so much an endorsement as it was just something to say.

They could. They could have been vented straight into space instead of slowly suffocated because there was no coming back from the first one. "Yes." He let his hand move a little, petting gently at her back, and leaned back in the chair, letting his head fall back a little. "Yes, they could."

He wasn't sure how long they remained there in silence. His legs fell asleep at one point, but he didn't bother moving very much; just shifted enough to sufficiently bring them back to life, and kept on holding her. At one point, someone came in to offer them breakfast, and he realized that Relena Peacecraft and Iria Winter were there, as well as a young woman from L2; Hildebrand, perhaps? No. Hilde, he thought. They were all just waiting, and he wondered blankly how long they would all be there. Until something happened, he supposed. It wasn't as if they could move Wufei to L5 in a chamber like that, that much oxygen was a high danger on Earth, where the atmosphere could absorb it without it becoming a risk of a wildfire in closed corridors. It was worse on smaller transports. "Meiran." He kept his voice soft. "Let me take you back to quarters so you can sleep and see Mei-Xing." She would be wondering where everyone was.

Nodding, Meiran rose, slow and stiff, and it was clear that her hip was hurting her quite a lot. Treize would carry her through the corridors if he thought she would allow it.

He knew better.

It was easier to stand, one knee obnoxiously protesting the lack of movement as he offered his arm to her to support her as much as she'd allow him to.

They swept through the halls slowly and it was quite possibly obvious that they were both feeling their aches and pains, or perhaps not. They did not speak. There wasn't much of a point in it, Treize supposed, because what was there to say? That they were miserable, that they were sad, that they were... he didn't know. Worried, scared, frightened of what was going to happen. He nodded hello to one of the other guards and helped Meiran into their room before going to Xian Pu's quarters to retrieve Mei-Xing, where she might have had a semblance of a normal evening. At least she could have breakfast with them, in any case, and that might feel normal to her.

Of course the first thing she noticed was that Wufei wasn't there, and she looked quite disconcerted by it. "Whewe is Die, Ma?"

"With the other Gundam Pilots," Treize said after a moment, because they'd never had a conversation about the appropriate amount of lying to her in the event of dire circumstances.

That seemed to be sufficient for her, and so she climbed into his lap and smiled up at him. "I'm hungwy, Ba."

"They should be bringing breakfast around quite soon," Meiran told her, leaning in and kissing her forehead.

He needed to get out of the tuxedo, but after breakfast. And if he hugged her a little tighter than usual, well. It was hard not to imagine how one leak of air on a base could lead to more, to let worry slip free. "How do you feel about fruit and pancakes, hmn?"

Her gaze lit up with delight, mouth forming a little o of pleasure. "Bananas?" They were a bit more difficult to grow on colony than berries or melons, and therefore a treat. The little girl made a face. "I woke up but Xian Pu made me bwush my teef and go back to bed. I missed you." Because he always read her a story (or three) before bed, and there was a nightly ritual of kisses that she would have been sad to miss.

It was very easy to raise her with Meiran and Wufei, didn't set off any of his problems that even thinking about, well. Well. It made him wonder what other Earth or L3 challenges had followed them to the moonbase. Or maybe it had been a disgruntled former mobile doll controller, there was just no guessing. "We'll make sure you get your stories tonight."

"Thank you, Bàba." She said that sometimes when she was feeling more affectionate, and happily his little girl. Their little girl. "Ma, Ba is giving me bananas and pwomised me pwopew stowies!" It was an excitable greeting. He looked up and realized that Meiran was wearing trousers and what looked like one of Wufei's tops.

She and Wufei looked alike sometimes, particularly along the jaw. Wearing his clothes didn't help; once upon a time, Noin had declared that a male and female sergeant who'd been dating each other with very similar faces had been doppelgängers, and for some reason it was the only thing he could think of.

"Ma!" Mei-Xing squirmed down and promptly flung herself at Meiran, face entirely pleased. "Ma, I missed you." Her arms squeezed at Meiran's thigh before Meiran reached down and pulled her up, the child straddling her waist and clinging to her.

"I missed you, too, sweetheart."

It gave him room to stand up and go intercept breakfast for them. To wonder when they would find out news. Once Mei-Xing had eaten, he'd go out and see if he could find someone from the Earth delegation for an update, and check on Wufei again.

Until then, he'd try to smile for their daughter.

* * *

"Your Empress wants the prisoner. You know that I can't give him to her."

"She would settle for her husband back without substantial damage." He said it precisely, crisply, calmly. He didn't need to make threats to his brother, just... needed to get his point across.

Vingt reached up and rubbed a tired hand across his face, an admission of exhaustion that he wouldn't have given to anyone else, Treize knew. "We're doing our best. A couple of specialists should arrive within the next hour."

He didn't need to say what the media streams would do when any of it got out, because it would, no matter how valiantly Dorothy worked. "How badly are the other delegations taking this?"

"They're offering to hold the knives." For Meiran, Treize knew. "And I can't even blame them. I'd quite like to hold them as well since the bastard has made this a disaster, which was the last thing I needed."

"Has he talked?" Treize lingered by Wufei's tank, for lack of a better word, half turned to better address Vingt.

Vingt shook his head. "Well. Sort of. Mostly he's just been muttering out pure madness. Blathering on about the perfection of mobile dolls and who's at fault for the war."

He exhaled thoughtfully. "One of Tsubarov's men. Can you give me a few minutes with him?"

His brother's gaze was questioning, sharp mind clearly moving behind there. "If you promise me you won't kill him, yes."

"I won't kill him." His brother knew, or perhaps he'd forgotten, how Treize felt about creating unnecessary loss of life.

There was a hint of a smile at the corners of Vingt's mouth. "Yes. Well, Normally I would automatically assume that was so, but you've been on L5 for years. And considering the situation, I think it would be difficult to resist."

"Death is the easy way out, isn't it?" He quirked an eyebrow at Vingt. "Let me talk to him."

Vingt nodded. "All right." As if it could be that easy. Except it actually _was_ that easy, and Vingt's gaze swept over the hyperbaric chambers, a pained twist momentarily flitting over his face.

"Lead the way." The room would have people in it again soon, family and loved ones, but there was only so much vigil to be held, even if he wanted to stay and hold Wufei's hand, hold his body. There was no doing it, and that somehow made everything even harder.

The halls were remarkably empty. Two of the four soldiers on duty outside of the med bay doors broke off to follow them as they strode out of it, long legs eating up the distance to the brig, which was still where it had always been.

Nothing changed. The surface changed, but the guts of a thing didn't -- what laid under the gloss and the new paint. He felt numb and tight and just wanted an answer so he could bring it to Meiran and agree that it wasn't enough. That was all.

The man held in the brig looked unprepossessing enough; dark hair, rather pale, eyes of a muddy indeterminate hue. He had a mustache, and it was unkempt. "You," he said, and then muttered something. Treize wasn't sure precisely what.

"Yes, me," he agreed, hands folded behind his back, watching the man where he sat on the bench that was securely welded to the wall.

"Sold out to them. Sold us all out. Mobile dolls would have been better, wouldn't have left all of us dead or in pieces."

"The war would never have ended. We would still be in it today. Did you serve here during the war?" It only made sense that there were disgruntled people on all sides.

That nod was slow, almost as if it were difficult to do it or something. "Yes? Yes. Yes. Should have worked the first time." The first time being September of 195 or so, Treize assumed. "Should have. Didn't. Fixed it. That's all. I've fixed it." 

"Did you accomplish this coup all by yourself?" He kept his voice easy, neutral, like he was asking about a design modification.

He blinked and sighed. "Mm. Yes. No one else seemed to agree with me."

"Where did you control the atmospheric venting from after you locked them in? That was a neat trick." Little wonder no one else seemed to agree with him, given that he had wanted to murder the heroes of their sphere.

"I'm good with mechanical things," the prisoner murmured. "Good with designs. Good with engineering." His eyes closed. "So I made a controller. Took the time to get things working the way it needed to. I wanted them to be aware of what was happening. Should have just vented the whole thing to space."

"Ah, but then you might have taken out all the banquet attendees." He probably would've been fine with that, but it put Treize's nerves on edge as he kept his attention on the man; now Vingt had what he needed, to cross interrogate and double check, triple check. He was glad he hadn't caught him the night before -- he'd been too angry to think straight, and now everything was just numb.

"Mmmm. Couldn't have that," the man agreed, and his words seemed slow.

Treize watched him for a moment, the vagueness of the man's pupils, then he stepped back and gestured to Vingt's men. "He's taken something. Get medical in here."

"Yes, sir." They were on the move, then, just as he expected. Treize turned back to the cell and looked at him.

A yawn greeted him. "I'm not sorry," he was told. "About anything."

"No?" He was sorry personally about quite a lot of things, but it wasn't going to make a scene or bring any of what was going on into judgement since the cameras were recording everything. Just keep him talking as long as he was around to talk.

"No." Another yawn. "Helped design the mobile dolls, you know."

"With Tsubarov and the Clark brothers, yes? They were good engineers. What's your name?" He could be patient. He could drag it out, make sure there was enough to look into

"Jordan." His eyelids drooped closed, and fuck, fuck, _fuck._

The records existed somewhere out there; between his name and fingerprints, they had enough information to finish their investigation. He stepped back, exhaling hard, not feeling an urge to check for a pulse. Better to look for Vingt since now there was just a corpse locked securely in a cell.

And nothing for Meiran to take apart.

There was a scramble now, everyone coming in to check on the man, see what they could do. Treize was sure that they were too late, and he walked out of the brig, leaned against the wall of the hallway just outside.

His name had been Jordan, and he'd worked with the Mobile doll engineers. Trant and Seis, they'd had a cluster of people around them. Seis had been rather ground breaking, and he'd died defending Bulge from that very moon base.

People were so stupid sometimes.

So stupid, and he was so tired. Exhausted because he hadn't slept, and fuck but he missed Wufei and he missed everything about his life and he wished that they hadn't come.

He sat down against that wall, head in his hands for a moment, trying to think, focus, because that hadn't been satisfying at all, just miserable and grim, and he didn't know what came next. It was just a waiting game, wondering, waiting to see if Wufei lived.

* * *

Everything hurt.

Ached, really. That was it, particularly all of his joints, and when he blinked open his eyes, it seemed... hm. Off. More off than he usually was without his glasses, he thought. He shifted, tried to stretch, to move, tried to get the room around him to clear enough to work out why everything was blurry and why he was sore, and there was some sort of beeping.

It sounded sort of frantic, he thought. Like it just. Like it was hooked up to something that wasn't going to end well, he thought. Maybe?

Maybe, and Wufei raised a hand and felt his knuckles smack into a hard surface. "Ow."

And then something pressed against the hard surface on the other side, and everything sounded muffled. "Hold still -- we need to change the air mixture. You have to stay in here a little bit longer." He didn't know the voice, but it sounded like it knew what it was talking about. "Go, get his wife."

Where was Meiran? Hm, or Treize. "Treize?" Because he wanted both of them. He wanted... yeah. He wanted both of them.

"Just hang on, sir, they've gone to get your family. You're in a hyperbaric chamber. The pressure's been low for the last couple of hours, but we still want to ease you out of the oxygen."

"Okay." Okay because what else was he going to say? Wufei didn't know, and he closed his eyes to rest them for a moment, or maybe to stop the way they were blurring. He wasn't sure.

"Wufei? Wufei!"

When he heard his name, he blinked them open again, and they felt sticky. Strange. "Hm?"

"He's coming around, ma'am, and we should be able to ease him out and get a doctor in here in about fifteen minutes." 

"He's going to live."

Well of course he was going to live. How ridiculous. "Of course I am," he muttered, glaring at the smudge of human standing over him. "Who said I wouldn't?"

There was a shape on the other side, looming, broad shouldered, a hand pressed against whatever he was in. "We wondered for a while."

Ah, there. There he was. "Hi." He pressed his hand back against Treize's, and blinked for a moment before he saw the smaller one. "Hi to you, too."

"How dare you try and die on us."

He heard Treize give a weird relieved sort of laugh. "I'll bring Mei-Xing once you're out of there. She's been inconsolable."

"Wha'd you tell her for?" They shouldn't have told her, she was too young for that kind of trauma. Then again, they'd all been too young for that kind of trauma.

"It's been a week. She noticed you were missing." Treize kept his palm pressed against the surface. A week. A week was a long time. How dare he try and die on them indeed.

"Everything hurts." Which it would, he supposed. If he'd been in here a week. "But I'll be fine." Because of course he would be. He hadn't made it through a fucking war for nothing.

Meiran was quiet, hand still pressed on the outside, and all he could see was shapes, Treize reaching across the chamber to touch her, and his wife making and then holding back a startling noise that almost sounded like a sob of relief.

"Hey, it's okay." That was maybe a voice from the left? "Seriously, the guy's tough as fucking nails. I mean, none of us are Heero, 'cause that guy's fucking one in a million, but. But he's gonna be fine."

"Thank you for your confidence, 02, but this has been stressful." Duo, that was good, and then he felt a pull, like he was being jerked, and he was sliding out of the chamber, the air outside cooler and fresh smelling.

Oh. That was. That was better, and he blinked to try and clear his vision, and that did help a bit. Meiran looked as if she had been crying, and he suddenly felt terrible for worrying her. "Hi."

She was hugging him first, and there were tubes and wires, and his mouth was incredibly dry. The way he ached when she hugged him didn't seem to matter, or that Treize was leaning in, an arm behind his back.

"You were seriously missed, buddy. Cool. Now we just need Quatre to wake up and we're all good to go."

"He's still out?" That was worrisome, Then again, him being out for a week was also pretty scary. "Hey. Hey, I dreamed about you," he murmured to Meiran, and then he managed to lean back and smile at Treize. "You, too."

She was petting at his face, his hair, her eyes wet and red while she slid a thumb across his cheek. "What did you dream?"

"Just things." Normal everyday life, mostly. "Dreamed about dinner, being at home." In their bed, which was bigger and more comfortable than the one in their quarters.

"I don't see us leaving home again for a long time." Treize's voice was deadpan, but his face was pure relief as he stroked at Wufei's back.

"You weird domestic people," he heard Duo sigh. "I'll be over here watching Quatre for a while."

A man in a white coat hovered nearby. "I know that you've all enjoyed seeing one another but I think that now we need to run a few tests, if that's all right."

"Of course." Treize stepped back, moved to gently move Meiran away; Wufei could see the subtle back and forth, her urge to snarl at what he assumed was a doctor eased down by someone who could also read her body language and gentle her a little.

"Can they come?" Because it would be better for Meiran if they could, he knew.

There was a pause, and then the doctor sighed, wheeling the gurney or bed or whatever it was he was on back from the top of the chamber. "Yes, but we will need room to work."

"They're good at room," Wufei promised, and all of his joints ached like hell when they moved him. He kept blinking his eyes to try and get his vision to stop blurring.

That was something he hoped got better quickly. But he was alert, whether everything hurt or not. And that felt important. "Okay. We're going to head this way, out into the hallway and down into another room for some scans."

"Mhm." And if he sort of dozed off on the way, well. No one could be sure but him, right? Right. Absolutely, and he came around again when the gurney came to a stop. "Sorry. Sorry."

"We need to get you in for some scans, if your family can wait out here..." Then perhaps dozing was all right for a moment or two.

Meiran's hand was on his face, then, and Treize's was on his arm. "We'll see you in just a few moments." She was looking at the doctor with a stern expression that said they had damned well better see him in a few moments.

The man turned away and pulled Wufei's gurney into the examination room, where he helped him sit up, slowly. "Your wife and uh. Your family has really missed you."

"Partner," Wufei told him a bit blearily. "It's a common situation on L5. Is... is there a reason my vision is blurry?"

"That could be a symptom of the decompression or the oxygen treatment," the man admitted, going to the wall to get a couple of things, Wufei supposed. "Are you usually nearsighted?"

He nodded. "A little. It's not that bad, just enough to give me a headache if I spend too much time roaming around without my glasses or contacts."

"Mmmhmm. So this is a little blurrier or much blurrier? Some of this might resolve itself." He was leaning in close to look into Wufei's eyes with some sort of small light.

"A little." He blinked again. "It's nothing unbearable, just... annoying."

"Let's see if it improves over the next forty-eight hours. The pressure of the oxygen can do that, sometimes." He did a quick heart rate, lung check, and then stood in front of him. "And let's have you stand up."

Wufei stood as directed, and all of his joints protested, especially his knees and ankles. If Meiran felt like this all the time, he had a great deal more sympathy for her. Not that he didn't have plenty to start, but it certainly wasn’t fun. "Everything aches, but that's probably standard, too."

"That's probably from the decompression." The man frowned at him, and stepped back carefully. "I'll stay with you, but can you walk to the door and back?"

"Sure." Sure, and yes, he could do that, rising up and beginning to walk. The ache felt a little worse when he did, and then he paused, stretched, and that seemed to help a little.

"Okay. Let's get all the tubes and IVs out of you, and then we'll put you in the scanner." Hopefully he didn't have to get used to the ache of his joints, because he enjoyed using them.

It took a few minutes, and at least two of those minutes were quite uncomfortable considering the location of that tube. He wouldn't be wanting to do that again anytime soon. Preferably not ever, for that matter. Just. Ow. Ow was the appropriate word.

But the man had him back upright and on the gurney again. "Okay. Lean back, I think we're done here for now."

Thank god. "How long will the scans take?"

"A couple of hours. I'm going to have some people consult." Still, that sounded prioritized. "I'll move you into a private room and go check on the last of you."

Quatre. "How is he doing?" Wufei was quite a bit more worried about that than he was about who'd done the deed, he realized.

"His vitals were about on par with yours. Your waking up gives me hope he'll be up soon as well." That was very pleasant and upbeat sounding, and the man was opening the door with his back and wheeling him out into the hallway. "If everyone would follow me."

All of the tests. He grimaced. "The scans are going to take a couple of hours," he advised Meiran and Treize. "Maybe you'd rather come back then."

Ah. Right. He knew that look. "If you think I'm going anywhere, you're insane."

"No, no, sorry -- it'll take me a couple of hours to read them." The doctor gave a nervous laugh. "No, please keep him company while we work out what's been going on."

That made Wufei's brows rise. "Which one of you threatened the poor man with death?" Because clearly one of them had.

Neither of them answered which he took to mean that perhaps both of them had, as he was moved into a room with a door, and the doctor made his escape at last. "It's been nerve wracking."

"Mmm. I can only imagine that it has been," Wufei agreed. "But I'm here now. I'm fine. Or I will be."

Treize petted at his hair, arranging it on the pillow for him. "I'll get Mei-Xing now." It was only half a question at Meiran.

"Or someone could help me wash my hair. Or my everything," Wufei suggested. "I feel..." Disgusting.

"It can wait until your daughter has seen you." Meiran's voice was tight and firm when she said that, and Treize nodded and left. Maybe he was underestimating what a week had been like.

"Yes, Empress." He recognized that tone of voice, and it would brook absolutely no argument. Still. Still, he reached out and caught her wrist, tugging gently to bring her closer to him, to pull her into the bed. "Mei. I'm here. It's okay."

"You didn't have a heartbeat when Treize pulled you out of there." Her voice was very tight, angry, not at him but at someone else. "We almost lost you."

He halfway wanted to say something about not being dead until he was warm and dead, but he didn't think that would be taken all that well. He tucked his chin on the top of her head instead and held her close. "I'm sorry I frightened you." He was tired, but it felt good to have her leaning into him, even if she was distraught and tense. He remembered how concerned she was and how everything had been after the battle.

By the time he heard Treize and Mei-Xing coming, she hadn't moved from where she was, still holding onto him. He wondered if she planned to move at all, but he wasn't going to ask.

"Meiran?" The door opened quietly, and Mei-Xing immediately cried out, which did make Meiran sit up.

"Hello, darling girl. Look, Die is awake." Awake and his daughter had tears sliding down her cheeks when she crawled onto the bed and flung herself on him, crying into his chest.

Looking at Treize, he motioned for him to come closer, as well, wanting him in this informal huddle of humans.

There was no way to stop a hysterical child, and okay, his vision was blurry and everything hurt when he walked, but it just didn't feel that dire. Treize was tight mouthed, though, standing at the side of the bed. "See, and we'll all be able to go home soon."

"Treize." Wufei made that hand motion again, and all right, yes. The mattress was small, but Wufei wanted their entire family together right now, and that included the man standing there as if he didn't know what else to do.

He gave that weird tight huff of a laugh he did sometimes, and knelt at the side of the bed, sliding an arm over Wufei's waist where there was room. "You're not allowed to go first."

"Mm, let's all agree that we'll live forever," Wufei decided, reaching out to put a hand against the back of Treize's neck and pull him as close as he could get him, Meiran nestling in on his other side. "Hear that, Mei-Xing? We're going to live forever, sweetheart, so stop crying." It didn't work, but he liked the sound of it. She was just going to have to cry herself out, and Meiran and Treize would both work through their relief and fear. As he felt broad fingers spread out against his stomach, he had a feeling that they wouldn't be leaving L5 for a long time.

Possibly not ever if Meiran had any say in it.

They were all still there when the doctor came in a couple of hours later, Mei-Xing dozing on his chest because she wouldn't let go. Treize's knees hadn't lasted, so he was now sitting at the end of the bed, a hand on Wufei's leg. Meiran was still curled against his side, and she probably would have been mortified if anyone had seen her less than perfect, less than self-possessed.

Still, the doctor wasn't going to talk about it, and it was a private room. He would have to see how the others were, but later, as a passing interest. "Mr. Chang? I'd like to go over the test results with you." He kept his voice soft.

"Yes, please." He kept stroking Mei-Xing's hair, the little wheezing snuffle she made after crying so hard making him want to hold her and protect her forever. He had lost one daughter; he didn't want to put that kind of grief on this one.

"Your scans were mostly clear. You may eventually develop some arthritis in your joints because I see little bits of bone damage from where the air essentially pooled in your joints. There are treatments for arthritis if it does develop. Your vision should clear in the next week, but if it doesn't, it probably is permanent and you'll need your prescription realigned. Other than that, you are in amazing health, sir."

The breath Meiran took, sharp and jagged, had her turning her face against his arm to hide her emotions, and Wufei let out a shaky breath. "Oh. Oh, that's. That's good." That was quite good, because they knew how to deal with arthritis and bone damage, knew how to adjust to it for anything athletic. Treize's hand squeezed his calf, his own head turned away from the doctor.

"Okay. Good. I'll leave a write up here, and do any of you have any questions? I think if you're still feeling good, sir, we can discharge you tomorrow morning?" 

He watched Treize lift a hand to his eyes, still not looking at the doctor. "No, that's good news."

"Or I could be discharged tonight," Wufei suggested. "And go home with my family."

Who would clearly not be leaving his side. "Well, to quarters. I wouldn't embark on space travel for at least another day." The man looked down at his clipboard. "All right. Let's do that, then."

Thank god. "Mmm, because this bed is too small for all of us, and I have a feeling that they aren't going to be letting me get very far out of their reach."

Meiran sat up, blinking. "Wufei, you should stay. What if something happens?"

"Surely they can monitor me just as well in our quarters," Wufei protested.

"We'll take watches." Of course Treize would say that, petting at his calf in an idle way. "And Wufei will sleep better there."

"I'll come by to check on him in the morning. There really is nothing abnormal -- blood vessels, nothing threatening, all good. There's a couple of medications I'd like to put you on in the long term to mitigate a little of the damage that did occur."

"Thank you." He was already sleepy, in any case, which probably shouldn't be any sort of surprise despite having slept for a week. There was a big difference between being drugged into sleep for that long and actually sleeping.

The man nodded and stepped back outside, no doubt to get the requisite paperwork. Treize stood up, stretching and looking restless. "I think we can stay home for a very long time with this established."

"We're never leaving L5 again. If they want to meet again, we'll vet everyone ourselves." Meiran's voice was hard.

"I vote for it," Wufei agreed.

"Yes. Their comfort level should not be... assumed to be ours." That would be fine. He was accustomed to the L4 delegation, sometimes L1 coming to their home. Their delegations knew how to act when they were guests.

The Earth Delegation was lax, though; he hadn't even asked who had done it, but in a way, he knew. They had lost -- who else could it have been? He didn't need to know. Not yet, not right now. He would ask more questions later, and he was sure that they'd have the answers.

Right now, he just wanted to curl up in bed with his family, safe and warm and kept close.

* * *

The world had righted itself, just like that.

They were all a little out of sorts and exhausted, but it had been good to help Wufei into the bath and to sit there and massage his scalp while he half dozed. Mei-Xing had been panicky about sleep, and had wanted Die stories, but they'd gotten her to sleep again after dinner and she had slept hard. 

He'd slept light, feeling a little jumpy every time Wufei moved, desperate to enjoy being back with him, to have his warmth between them in the sheets, his familiar smell.

He wasn't the only one who'd slept light; Meiran had, too, and they'd occasionally caught one another's gazes in the night. Neither one of them had been willing to close their eyes for very long.

At one point, Wufei had stirred into wakefulness, muttered at both of them to _close your goddamned eyes and sleep_ , and then rolled over, careful not to shift Mei-Xing before going back to sleep.

He had missed that attitude, and it hadn't even been long without it.

They were all still tired in the morning, but he woke up at a normal time, and stepped outside to arrange for breakfast and talk to Xian Pu about their transport back home that evening. 

And then he went in search of Vingt.

It had been a troubling week for so many reasons, but part of that was watching Vingt's stress and the way he seemed to age with every day that passed. It was obvious that the stress on him was significantly worse, even with Dorothy to help him.

"Hello, Treize." The greeting sounded tired, Vingt reaching up and rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "I heard that the Empress's consort is doing well. I'm glad."

"Wufei has recovered sufficiently that we're going home this afternoon. I heard Quatre woke up this morning." So that was it, a tidy incident that Vingt was no doubt working hard to strip from the history books. "I suppose it's a useless offer, but is there anything I can do to help?"

"Do you have a time machine?" That smile wasn't actually much of one. "Lacking that, I fear there's very little to be done."

"You need to rest." He pulled out the chair across from Vingt's desk, and added, "Or you need to retire."

"I need a lot of things." That wasn't agreement, Treize noticed. "But there's no one to replace me, I'm afraid. Not yet. I'm working on it."

"Who?" He leaned his elbows on the desk, and reached a hand out to brush Vingt's hair out of his eyes. "If you don't have a name, you're just lying to yourself."

"She's young yet." And that at least made the smile more real. "I have a little time. I wouldn't want to toss her in as young as we were."

"No. No, you can't be serious." His genius in the wars had always been in seeing the connections that were too unthinkable to be real, in not wishing away the reality of the world because he'd experienced it so viciously and so often himself.

"I'm quite serious," Vingt replied. "How do you think I got Dekim Barton to behave? Look. I took her in, and I've been raising her to something better than he intended. Treize, she's bright and sharp. We... there isn't anyone else."

"On all of Earth, there isn't some up and coming politician? There isn't some policy wonk who has skills but is missing the damn Khushrenada bloodline? Didn't _we_ learn anything?" There was a whole world of brilliant people out there if they were willing to look outside of their nepotistic back yards.

Vingt leaned back in his chair with a sigh. "She's the best. I'm telling you. She's incredibly bright, and she's already interning. There's no one else this good."

That was impossible bullshit, but Treize stayed where he was, staring at Vingt. "We. After everything we went through and did."

"I know. I know, but Treize, she's so smart. And she's so good at this. I wouldn't have her where she is if she hadn't shown herself to be amazingly good at it, I promise."

Fuck. He ran a hand through his hair. "If this ends in war, I'm... " Because there was a burden of expectation that came with the name, and sometimes he wondered if it was the way of thinking that led to more broken peaces than others had.

"I know. I know, I've honestly considered the matter." Vingt seemed so earnest. "And I swear to you, she's going to be an absolute star."

Vingt had botched so many things over the years, and Treize had been there to support and steer, and now he was tired and burnt out, and there was no relief. It was self inflicted, but surely... "We'll have to see." And in case she wasn't, L5 had weapons. They would not be an easy target when Earth's footing inevitably changed.

He'd have to start working to make them safer, more able to defend themselves.

"We will," Vingt agreed, and he honestly seemed to believe that things would be all right.

He preferred it when his brother was a nervous wreck because he made better decisions then. "All right. We'll just have to see. I don't think we'll be leaving the colony for a while."

"I didn't think that you would be, if I'm honest. I miss you terribly, Treize." Vingt looked up at him. "Perhaps your Empress will allow us to visit."

"With screening of your delegation, perhaps she will." But it would be a few months before she would feel like opening the doors. "That was too close for us."

"I understand." He stood and looked across at Treize, and he just seemed so sad. "I truly do."

"I'll see you again." It was more than they'd been guaranteed before the war had ended. He moved around Vingt's desk to hug him. "I have no regrets about anything I did for you. I just wish you'd stop torturing yourself."

Vingt's arms tightened around him. "If I stopped torturing myself, I wouldn't be me anymore, would I? Just... I'm glad that you're happy. It's quite obvious that you are, and I can appreciate that."

He couldn't release Vingt from whatever was in his head any more than Vingt could release him, which was a misery. "Please bring more people on staff. It will only help you." He stepped back, slowly, rubbing at Vingt's shoulder.

"I'm trying. It's hard for me to change my ways." Vingt did smile at him, and let go slowly. "Be safe."

"The worst risk I'm facing back home is small industrial accidents of my own making. I'll be safe. Get some rest, Vingt." He lingered a little, and then made himself turn away.

As if it could ever be that easy. 

When he returned to their quarters, it was to find that the last of their things had been packed away and everyone appeared to be ready to go. "Nice to see you." Wufei's mouth was an easy smile, and he very much appreciated that considering the way that his discussion with Vingt had gone.

He had been holding everything together, holding it all a little tense because there was something performative and strange about being back with blood family. "Just tying up some loose ends." He leaned in to press a kiss against that mouth. It was nice to see Wufei upright, even if he was probably going to sleep on the whole trip back home.

Being unwell did take a lot out of someone, he had to admit.

"Hm. Hi. I'm glad your loose ends are now tied, then." And that meant he got another kiss, longer and a bit more thorough.

"Meow Meow. I should have named him slutty kitty," Xian Pu mused.

He cupped the back of Wufei's head, deepening the kiss and then pulling back only when he was done, having enjoyed the slide of Wufei's tongue against his own, the way his breath caught at the sensation. He flipped her off while he was finishing, and then settled his free hand back on Wufei's hip. "Is it time to go to the shuttle?"

"Yes." Meiran strode in from the bathroom, Mei-Xing on her hip. "Our sweet girl is ready to go now."

"I'm Ma's sweet giwl," Mei-Xing informed them primly. "Did you bwing my toys?"

Her toy bag was on the sofa, and Treize pulled away from Wufei to snag it. "Then I think that's it." He'd had enough deep painful thought for a few years, enough strangeness to turn over in the odd moments, that he wasn't going to deal with it when he had real people in the room with him, which was much more enjoyable.

Meiran notched her chin upward. "Let's go, then. And we are never coming back to this disastrous place again."

"Agreed." And if they knew how many sectors had been blown out at one time or another, they probably never would have come for the first Accords, never mind the five year celebration of a fragile but necessary peace.

They were on their way within the hour, and it was such a relief to leave it behind; he didn't have to see anyone except their own people, and that was enough to make him relax for the first time in forever. Wufei was asleep, sprawled over three seats, the armrests up to make room for him. Mei-Xing was happily playing beside Treize, moving large lego style blocks into place and humming to herself.

He was tired, but wanted to enjoy watching her and Wufei. She had been inconsolable and hadn't played properly for days. Now all was right in the world; Meiran was reading her datapad, catching up on ignored work.

"Ba?" Mei-Xing's voice was quiet. "Hold this one. That one is fow when Die wakes up again."

"What am I holding?" He was obedient, reaching to take whatever she put in his hand.

Ah, that expression was one he'd seen before. "Ba. It's Nataku." As if it should be perfectly obvious to him.

One green block and two white blocks stuck together. He hummed agreement. "Ah, now I see it, yes. It's very clearly Nataku."

"Of couwse it is, Ba." She paused, thoughtful. "Should I go give it to Die now? So he can see it when he wakes up? He will wake up again." That was just a sign of how worried she still was.

"He'll wake up again and again. He just needs to catch up on sleep. How about we give it to him together, hmn?" He unbuckled his seatbelt, and moved to help her down.

"Thank you." She was pleased to be down and took his hand to pull him over to Wufei. They carefully placed Nataku down beside him and then she held up her arms to Treize. "I'm hungwy."

He reached down to pick her up, cradling her against his hip for a moment. "We have banana chips in your snack bag." He needed to stretch and wander for a moment, and there was probably juice or water to be had at the back.

They roamed, and it was nice to be there. Nice to be on their way home and to be in the company of family, people who loved him and one another. People who didn't have any need to manipulate the world around him or possibly murder any of them. He supposed he could've had something about that level of comfort if he had been returned home, if he had actually stepped down. And still left Vingt abandoned. It would have been so much harder, though. So very different, and it wouldn't have gotten him the family he was desperately glad to have again.

"Ba? You look sad. Don't look sad. Die will wake up again, you said."

It made him reflexively smile, which was probably somehow the wrong lesson. "Too much thinking. Sometimes I miss my brother. But I would miss you and your Die and Ma a lot more, so. How do you feel about apple juice?"

"I love it!" She squirmed and he put her down to deal with snack time. "And I love you, too."

It was a shame she wasn't always going to be a little terror that had them wrapped around her fingers. One day she'd be an older terror who had them wrapped around her fingers.

God help them when the time came, but for now they had a perfectly delightful daughter and he was going to love her even when she became an older terror. He'd never honestly thought that he would get that, and so he melted just a bit as he prepared her snack. And then when she decided to sit down in the aisle rather than her seat, he sat with her because it was going to be a long wait for the Shuttle to land.

There was no harm in being wildly indulgent.

"Spoiled girl," Meiran murmured, looking up from her datapad. She glanced at Wufei, gaze lingering, and then put it aside finally. "Your Ba is very good to you, isn't he?"

"Uh-huh," Mei-Xing replied, nodding. "And thewe awe banana chips. He loves me."

"He does. He loves you very much. I think we're most fortunate to have him, don't you?"

"Uh-huh." He was handing her banana chips and she was crunching on them with her tiny teeth. "So good, Ma."

It would be good to be home, and perhaps they were all a little emotionally exhausted. Treize quirked a smile at Meiran and kept handing them to her with care so she didn't try to shove them all into her mouth at once.

"We should keep him, Ma. Die loves him vewy much, and I love him, and you love him, and we should always keep Ba." Ah, yes. Feeling quite affectionate since he was filling her belly with her favorite snack.

He leaned back on one hand, barely avoiding the urge to ruffle her hair. "Oh good. That's very good since I haven't anywhere else to call home."

"We're going to keep him forever and ever," Meiran assured him, and her smile upon him felt very personal, as if it were meant only for him. "He is one of the rocks upon which I have built my empire."

Someone had just rather tried to take the other rock out, and that left Treize shaken and looking forward to getting home after their long shuttle ride. "Oh, don't tell me that."

That earned him a warm laugh, and Mei-Xing looked up at her mother, smiling as though she thought the world rose and set there. It might well. "Too late. You've been told. Besides, you're both never leaving L5 again after this."

"Never." He exhaled, popping a banana chip into his mouth to watch Mei-Xing grin at him in response. "More than a few reminders of what life on Earth was like."

Mei-Xing nodded. "I don't wanna go there. Die says it's bootiful, but those people wewen't vewy nice."

Meiran reached out and smoothed a lock of hair behind her ear. "No, they weren't, were they, love."

"It's very beautiful -- unspeakably beautiful. But he's right. And home is home." He glanced up at Meiran, and then he looked over to where Wufei was stretched out sleeping. It was a bit surprising to see dark grey eyes blinking back at him, still hazy with sleep, Wufei giving him a soft curve of his mouth before he yawned and closed his eyes again.

And home was right there, with them. With all of them, Wufei dozing on the nearby stretch of seats, Mei-Xing eating banana chips, Meiran watching all of them with affection.

He'd never thought that he would have that. Never thought that he'd get something so wonderful, never thought he would be so completely loved.

* * *

Blow jobs were his favorite thing. Giving, receiving, whatever, they just made him feel good, and they made Wufei's knees go a bit weak at the edges. Which was why he preferred to stay on them. He loved their comfortable sofa, the sprawl of pillows, the way Treize sprawled on it with his legs spread, fingers massaging idly at the back of Wufei's neck.

Every caress of those fingers loosened him a bit more, and Wufei couldn't help the greedy hungry noises that he kept making or the way that he couldn't stop swallowing around Treize's dick. It was perfect and he tasted good, and fuck but his left knee ached. 

The other man was breathing hard, flushed and just a little sweaty, carefully not thrusting and letting Wufei take him in as deep as he wanted. He swallowed around his dick, pulling back to breathe after a particularly deep slurp. "Oh god."

"I love your cock," Wufei murmured, shifting to relieve the ache of his knee. He supposed he was lucky that the worst he'd gotten from the last incident on the moon had been a few joint issues. "I like to suck it and I like to sit on it and... you're pretty acceptable, too." Teasing Treize was enjoyable.

And somewhat worse eyesight. Not so bad that he could lose track of where Treize's cock was in any naked situation. "For a cockstand," Treize mused, stroking his thumb behind Wufei's ear, before trailing to brush over his lips. "You could come up here."

"Makes it harder to suck you," Wufei replied, and he leaned in and licked the tip with a sigh. "But my knee hurts, so."

He felt Treize flex his hips a little, tsking softly. "Let's not make your knee hurt for my cock. C'mon. Mine's started to click recently, so we can be partners in light decrepitude."

"I approve of your plan," Wufei murmured, rising with a bit of a creak to plant himself firmly on Treize's thighs, his own parted around Treize's hips. Treize kissed him immediately, a lazy press of mouth against his that deepened with a slip of tongue, his hands sliding down to rest on Wufei's hips. He knew the slow rocking grind of his hips against Treize's hips was next the way Treize's fingers slid to rest at the top of his ass crack. God, he loved that. Loved it so much when those hands were on him and he sighed, enjoying the feel of everything. "Mmmm, I love you." 

Sometimes Treize had a smart answer to that, or dry, but just then he tipped Wufei's head up, kissing at him lazily, still. "Until we have nothing left to give, yes."

Yes, and that was perfect. Very much so, and Wufei went back to kissing him because that was everything he could ever have wanted. Even if they did nothing but this for hours on end, he would be all right with that. "Oh. Oh, that's..." His mouth on Wufei's neck, and he shivered, a full body reaction.

The man knew every spot to hit to make him shiver, played his body like a familiar piano concerto, a kiss there, a bite, a pull of his nipples, just enough of any one thing to keep him needy and wanton with it. Sometimes there were more intense things, but there hadn't been since the lunar base.

Wufei desperately hoped that today would be the end of that nonsense. He wanted intensity. He wanted to go so far down that it took him a long time to come up again. "Please, Treize," he murmured. "Please. I want you to take me down. I want you to make me think of nothing but pleasing you."

"Tch. Starting without me. Oh, boys. I should punish you."

That would also have been acceptable to him, but Treize stopped kissing and sucking at his neck, leaned his head back. "We can start over."

"You're both very naughty," Meiran scolded, her cane having been in heavy use for most of the day from the way she was walking. "And tomorrow, I do believe that you'll both regret starting without me. For now..." She settled on the other end of the wide divan. "Entertain me."

Ah, his wife was wonderful.

He could almost feel Treize's sly smile, as he twisted a little so that she'd have a better view. "Does the empress have any specific wants?" Treize idled a hand down at the top of Wufei's ass crack.

"Hmmm." For a long moment, she just watched them, and Wufei's pulse picked up in reaction. "Make him cry for me. And then make him come."

Well, fuck. That was another reason he loved his wife.

"Hmn, make him cry..." Treize leaned in, kissing the edge of Wufei's jaw, the touch lingering. "Hmn hmn, how to make him cry..."

Oh, there were quite a few ways, and Wufei dropped his head back, enjoying that touch of Treize's mouth, the way his fingers just stroked lightly and easily against his skin. The weight of Meiran's gaze felt good, almost something he could feel against his skin.

"Go get the toy box," Treize told him, voice firm and easy. "And bring it to the empress to pick what she would like me to use."

Ah, so that was how they would be doing things, and so Wufei paused just long enough to kiss Treize's forehead before rising from his lap to obey. By the time he'd brought it back to Meiran, he could see that she seemed to have decided what she'd like already, no need to actually see it in order to make the choice. "Come here, my sweet good boy."

He knelt obediently before her, and Treize slid closer, clearly pleased or they were perhaps telegraphing something toppish with their eyebrows, he wasn't sure, but she passed the box over to him immediately. He reached into the box with a sigh.

"It's been too long since we used this."

 _This_ proved to be a set of vibrating anal beads that Wufei both loved and hated with a fervent sort of passion, and he couldn't help the little o his mouth formed in response to the sight.

"And this," Meiran said by way of agreement, and lifted a strap from the box, and Wufei bit into his lower lip, looking at both of them in a way that he suspected appeared to be pleading.

"Lovely." Treize took it from her, fingers light on it before he set it on the cushion beside him. There was lube in the toy box, and lube in all sorts of places where they didn't think Mei-Xing could get into. And even if she did, they'd made sure that it was the sort that wouldn't hurt even if someone drank the entire bottle. Thank god for foresight.

Wufei looked up at them through his lashes, and Meiran appeared far too pleased with herself, smirking at him with utter self-satisfaction. "Yes. Yes, it will be."

He set the box aside and gently coaxed Wufei to crawl up onto his lap again petting and kissing to ease him, to make him feel warm and relaxed again and maybe forget the strap.

As if he could.

Still, he knew what Meiran wanted, trusted that whatever happened wouldn't be anything that he didn't enjoy, and so it was easy to give in, to settle himself and enjoy the hands on him, the way that Treize made him moan with a wanton sort of need before very long. His arms were looped loosely around Treize's neck, and if he thought about it for very long, all any of the plan for him could do was go ahead and settle him, his mind already turning to how pleased they would be with him.

Sitting on Treize's lap, enjoying lazy kisses and slow petting that was culminating in two slick fingers toying at his asshole, Treize kissing at his neck, bringing him in closer so Wufei could rub up against him, and that was lovely. The drag of his cock against Treize's belly felt good, as did the feel of his trousers against his thighs. They'd mostly just unzipped him and unbuttoned the shirt he was wearing while Wufei had blown him, his own nakedness rather the point.

He was starting to feel lazy, drifty, needy, the press of two fingers slipping into his asshole and stretching deep into him. "Mmm, you feel so good to me."

Wufei panted and dropped his head back, hips canting back to that hand. He'd always so loved being fucked, and he had worried about what that might mean when they were young. Once they'd been married long enough for Meiran to show her kinkier side, he had stopped worrying about much of anything, all things considered. It meant he loved attention from either of his partners, and in a way he loved being the center of attention. "So lovely. It's going to feel so good to fuck my way into you..." He twisted those fingers, kissing the line of his jaw.

"A-ahhhh." Yes, because it always felt good when Treize did, a heady sort of stretching and ache that never failed to make him hard as a rock and desperately randy.

"Tip your ass up for me," Treize goaded softly, sliding those fingers back out after too short a time.

That meant shifting, and he did, shifting on his knees, the left one starting to ache again. He canted his hips, somehow managing not to squirm overmuch, all things considered, because he liked obeying. Wufei liked being good for them, liked the way it made him feel, made him forget all of his responsibilities because all that was required here was for him to do as he was told.

There was an empty pause, a vacancy of touch while Treize leaned to prep the toy he knew would make him squirm and beg. And then he felt the cold press of silicone against his ass, the easing of the first narrow bead into him. He whimpered, and perhaps that was just a bit for show. Maybe more than just a bit, but it did feel good, and he buried his face against Treize's shoulder because it turned him on incredibly. It did, but he wanted to be good so he needed to concentrate on not allowing it to feel _too_ good.

It made sense in the back of his mind, and he felt the slow slide of the next bead into him. Treize kept it measured, easy, and after the third one he turned the toy on and pressed it in past the fourth bead. It made Wufei sob because one of the beads was resting much too close to his prostate, and he squirmed. He was unsurprised when that earned him a sharp smack against his left ass cheek, and he had to make himself go still again, cant his hips appropriately once more.

"There we go, I know you have better control than that," Treize praised softly, pushing in the fifth bead, which was just a little thicker, gently buzzing more firmly near his prostate than it had been before.

Wufei very much wanted to squirm; he did, because if he moved just right he'd either get it closer or a bit away, but he didn't dare. Not if he wanted to be good, and he did want to be good. He did, and he heard Meiran say something but it wasn't for him. She would get his attention if she planned to say something to him, fingers on his chin or, or something. Or something, but everything felt very good, and Wufei wanted more than anything to do as he was told and obey. He could press his face against Treize's shoulder because Treize liked that closeness, and he could get away with that. That was enough, and he reminded himself of that when the toy was pressed in to the last bead, the sixth bead, the fat one that would keep the toy in place. Between their bodies, he could feel Treize's dick leaking damp against his skin.

He whined, soft and quiet because that one was so big, more of a plug than a bead, meant to hold him open for Treize's fat cock. God, but he did love that, and he didn't move until Treize's hands came up, petting him, and Wufei shifted as those hands indicated.

Pulled him to lay sideways across his lap, so he was facing Meiran and watched her sitting there with her robes hitched up, two fingers tracing at the edge of her pussy. With a bit of squirming, Treize slid his dick up between Wufei's thighs, brought Wufei's legs together again.

He wondered if she would like him to lick her, but she shifted her leg, and Treize gently guided it to rest there, chin upon her calf, so that she could see his face. He should have expected it. She did like it so when he cried.

The first lick of the strap against his ass was soft, teasing, like Treize was checking his angles, so it didn't burn and bite so much as it stung, like getting hit with a rubber band. He knew it was coming, though. He knew that he would be crying before it was over, and that he didn't dare move or shift in a way that would make it worse.

Meiran's fingers tilted his chin upward at a better angle for her. "Such a pretty boy, about to take your strapping. You were very naughty, starting without me," she murmured. "Fortunately, you are also ever so pretty like this, so this is how you will make it up to me."

"Y-yes, Empress." As if he would ever give her any other answer.

"Just beautiful," Treize sighed, fingers tracing over where he'd just hit, and then there was another soft blow against his skin, and another, not testing this time. They weren't hard or mean, but he could feel his bottom warming up beneath them, and he knew it wasn't necessary to make the lick hard. He'd grow more and more sensitive until it would feel as if they were, all the same, and he didn't dare squirm or rock his hips because Treize's dick was between his thighs and he'd be able to tell. He'd enjoy it immensely, but he'd catch even the slightest of squirm, and Wufei didn't know what would happen if he moved into it. The toy in his ass was wonderful, thick and pressing just, just against his prostate

God, he hoped he didn't come too soon. That threat was quite a bit worse than the next lick, or even than the fifth. His thighs tensed, and he didn't squirm or try to escape the next one, but fuck. Fuck, fuck, it all felt so good.

He needed, he wanted to move, wanted to feel more, or less, or. Or something. "How many do you think you can take?" He hardly waited after he asked that question, and laid down the next blow.

Wufei's breath shuddered in on a gasp, then out in a sob. How many? His mind spun for a second. "As many as you say," he managed to stutter out, unsurprised when Meiran began to pet at him. She still had her fingers between her legs, but he couldn't, couldn't tell if she'd kept touching herself. He didn't know and then there was another lick of the strap and he gasped again.

"Six? Ten or fifteen, do you think?" There was a brief pause, and Treize's familiar fingers slid over the skin of his ass. It was warm and sensitive, and Wufei whined.

"Fifteen," Meiran encouraged. "I want to see you cry, sweetheart."

Oh, hell. Hell, but that was fine, it was. It was, because he'd do whatever they wanted, and it didn't hurt. Not in a bad way.

Treize's hand stretched, stroked up along Wufei's spine, and he laid the next stripe down, counting softly. "Seven. Mmm, and eight."

His sinuses stung. So did his bottom, and the next shuddering intake of breath came out in a wet sob.

"My pretty boy."

The fingers on his spine stroked softly, and Treize laid down another one that burst it out of him, made him move because he absolutely had to.

Wufei wouldn't cry for just anyone. He wouldn't, but Meiran was petting him, and Treize was touching him so gently, and the strap wasn't hard but it was starting to hurt, burn in just the best way, and that was what they had wanted from him. That was just what they had wanted, and giving it to them felt so good.

Letting go felt so good, and the sudden tug of the toy in his ass, Treize pulling at the base of the vibrator and giving it a twisting wiggle made him react. He couldn't help the tensing of his thighs or the rock of his hips, couldn't help the way he cried out, and he wanted so badly to come.

"It's okay," Treize promised him, wiggling and spinning it as he pulled it out past the plug.

It was terrible.

It was so terrible, because he wanted to be full, the warmth of his ass promising, he did, and his breath hitched, more tears falling.

"There, there, sweet boy. Just a moment. Just one moment and you'll be perfectly happy, I know." Meiran's fingers were musky sweet when she slipped them into his mouth and he sucked them clean, distracted.

The vibrating toy came all the way out, left him aching and wanting, and Treize's hands were on his hips, thumbs pressing against the stripes of warm skin the strap had raised, and he felt Treize squirming, moving his legs and rearranging him. One hand pulled at his asscheeks, spreading him so he could accept another slick smear of lube against his hole. It felt so good, cold, because it was an assurance, and Wufei's knees were under him again so that he knew what was coming. Knew even before Treize moved between his spread thighs, and oh, he'd been good for them, he'd been so good for them, and Wufei relaxed before Treize's cock even nudged itself into place.

Not getting that would have been the worst thing, not to be allowed to feel either of them like that, and he wanted to be closer, wanted to touch Meiran except she wanted to watch. "So beautiful." In Mandarin, in Universal, in French, he heard that and 'lovely' and 'mine', while Treize leaned over his back and started a lazy press in.

Wufei didn't moan. No, he didn't, he crooned a small sound of approval, lashes blinking lazily , and the world around him was fuzzy-warm and perfect. Perfect, because they were both there with him. _With_ him, Meiran stroking his hair, Treize pushing into him, opening him up, and nothing could ever be as good as this.

Meiran stroked a thumb behind his ear, brushing his hair back, and he loved the way she looked at him, loved the feel of her skin against his, the press of Treize's thighs against his legs as he stopped moving, almost all the way in. Wufei pushed back because he _needed_ , he just needed, and Treize pushed the rest of the way in so that Wufei could give a sigh of relief. Fuck, he did love him. Loved them both, loved the way they felt, and he closed his eyes with a sigh and laid his face on Meiran's leg again, turned more to the side this time, limp and ready and waiting.

Treize pressed at him with a thigh, just firm pressure that edged him closer to Meiran, while she brushed open her robes. He could see the wetness clinging to her, and then she canted her hips in invitation.

Ohh. Oh, yes, and Wufei moved, tugging at her gently as he bent down and got his mouth on her. The crease of her cunt was open and damp, hot, slick, and he curled his tongue into it, licking just around her clit, nudging carefully. One thumb slid into her, and oh. Oh, yes. Wet and hot, slippery because she liked what she saw, and he could worship there while Treize finally started to move, fucking him in little rocking motions that jarred him gently against Meiran.

"Oh, yes, my good sweet boys," she gasped, and her hand was deep in his hair, Treize's hands were on his hips, and he had never been happier than he was in these moments, caught between them and responsible for nothing more pressing than pleasuring them both while they pleasured him. 

He lost himself in it, fingers in his hair, the clutch at his hips, the press of skin and thigh and the stretched out full feeling of Treize rocking hard into his ass, pulling almost all the way out before pushing back in deep. Meiran arched against him, and he heard her encouragement for more. Heard it and gave it to her, three fingers in and groaning because Treize was making him groan, pleasing him so much, and he couldn't think, couldn't do anything but _be_ , they were so good to him, so good, and he flicked his tongue against her only to have her pull him in and nearly smother him, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and he was half aware of Treize goading him on, telling him to let go, that he was so good, so good.

It had certainly felt like an act of worship. Treize leaned back in, kissed where his jaw met his ear, sliding his other arm around him. "I want to be able to do that to you after your second hip replacement, so can't have you dying of something stupid now."

And that was it. That was all he'd needed, that tight hold, the murmur against his ear, and Wufei came. It felt like an explosion, his entire body shaken by the sheer amount of pleasure overwhelming him, a raging wildfire that overtook him completely.

Everything was drifty and loose when he was moved to partially lie against Meiran, Treize pulling out slowly, kneeling up close behind him, hands stroking his back. They were both talking, but it wasn't anything Wufei had to listen to at the moment, no need to pay attention. He could just rest there, breathing, catching up, because they were murmuring to one another, petting him in a way that said he had been very good, just as they had wanted. It was wonderful, and he sighed, eyes closing so that he could drift for a bit.

* * *

"Ma, Ma, look!" Mei-Xing was moving on fast feet, holding out what appeared to be some sort of frog. Her daughter did love to pet anything that moved. She got that from Wufei, Meiran thought. He'd always seemed to have a sixth sense about that sort of thing, and animals actually behaved for him.

"Yes, set it down, lovely." It was probable that she had already squished it, but Meiran was good with sleight of hand that might help hide that once Mei-Xing opened her hand.

"Look, Ma. Die helped me catch it." Surprisingly, it wasn't squished. It jumped the very second she put it down, landing itself in Meiran's lap and making her laugh. "Ba was too busy laughing."

She'd bet he was. "And where are your Die and Ba?" Meiran reached a finger out, to nudge the little creature, while Mei-Xing laughed wildly and giggled.

"In the garden, Ma." Her daughter knelt in front of her, poking a finger at the frog a bit harder than Meiran had. It jumped again, a small jump.

Meiran waited a moment and then cupped her hand over it, trying to grasp it gently. "Then let us go to the garden, and see them." Treize rather unexpectedly enjoyed gardening; she wasn't sure why it surprised her that their third enjoyed gardening, it simply had.

Mei-Xing ran ahead of her, and by the time Meiran made it to the garden, she was dancing around Treize and Wufei. Treize's hands were dirty, patting around one of the roses bushes as though he'd done something or another to it. Wufei was watching, gaze warm, and they were talking in low voices, conversation quiet.

She set the frog down on damp grass and wiped her hands together as she approached them. Her decisions at the end of the war had been absolutely excellent, and there was the proof of it. Wufei laughed, and just the sight of it made her pulse stutter. When he had come home mid-war, she had been afraid that he might not ever laugh again, face too serious, the outer shell of him under too much pressure. The long stretch of the war, from the Alliance attack on their home straight through the signing of the accords, had weighed heavily on him. And Treize made him laugh, fed a different part of Wufei than she could reach.

If anyone had told her after she had been injured that they would gain a third out of a year of full on war, she would have laughed and told them to stop being stupid. That it was impossible, that Wufei didn't want anyone but her, that they would be fine as just the two of them. They had been fine, just the two of them. They could have carried on forever, though she wondered if anyone would have encouraged her to have Mei-Xing if he hadn't been there.

Out of a war, she had secured the safety of her husband, obtained a third, and had a daughter. They had managed to fix their colony, and they now had viable economic gains that were steady and sufficient to support their people because she had felt greedy, angry, horny, and petty, yes. Because her husband had been fascinated by the man who was now showing Mei-Xing the parts of a rose bloom, and stumbling for a moment as Wufei gave him the right words in Mandarin.

The war, as terrible as it had been, had brought this to all of them, and she couldn't be anything less than supremely grateful for that as she walked up to them and kissed each one in turn.

They were her boys, and this was their daughter. And they were going to continue taking the universe by storm.


End file.
